July 10 | Perseverance
Nehemiah 2:4-5 “The king said to me, What is it you want? Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it.”
It might be that the most challenging aspect of persevering is navigating the internal impact of the adversities we face. That is to overcome things like grief, exhaustion, doubt, discouragement, loneliness, fear, sickness, etc resulting from the external obstacles we face, like limited resources, interpersonal conflict, slow progress, weather, physical obstacles, etc.
Most of us have exerienced the difficulty even the debilitating effect of internal stuff. Scripture often refers to our internal struggle as suffering, and scripture challenges us to embrace it:
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. —Romans 5:1-4 (and James 1).
The follower of Jesus knows that God is up to something good. That through the faithful life, the ups and downs, the faithful life is honoring to God, and God honors the faithful life with strength, joy, peace, character, maturity, purpose, etc (Jeremiah 32:17, Philippians 4:19, Colossians 2:9-10).
In a nutshell we persevere because we know God is good and because perseverance brings God credit and benefits us in the end. In the mean time it is hard and it is humbling. We’d like to think God is into exalting us, but he’s not. In fact he prefers to use the weak: The Israelites against the massive surrounding nations, David against Goliath, Fisherman instead of the religious superior could NOT, honestly, take credit, but must credit the source and cause of their success — God. My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. —2 Cor 12:9
How deeply difficult it is…
To do right when you’ve been wronged…
To keep going when discouragement mounts…
To move in faith when doubt knocks…
To offer hope when grief visits…
To speak encouragement when mischaracterizations fly…
To forgive when you haven’t been forgiven…
To bring peace when anger shows up…
To be confident when your confidence is rocked…
To hold steady when the plans are crumbling…
The Good News is that we can honor God in these and other ways, in Christ.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. —Hebrews 12:1-3
Recap Questions (Weeks 1 & 2)
Have your Scripture readings and prayer changed over the past couple weeks? (Posture)
Have you been more repentant lately? (People)
Are you more devoted to God? How has He been changing you over the past couple weeks?
This Weeks Questions (Week 3)
When you heard the word perseverance, what story did you think about?
What are some examples of perseverance in your life and journey with God?
What adversity have you gone through recently?
What are the obstacles these days that are “within you” in your spiritual journey with God?
Is there anything too difficult for God?
When have you stepped through the adversity to allow God to be seen?
