Having a son in the military, I have learned more about persistence over the last year. As he worked his way through boot camp and AIT, he learned the value of persistence and hard work through his training.
Persistence and perseverance go hand in hand. Dictionary.com defines persistent as:
…enduring tenaciously, persevering in spite of obstacles, opposition, discouragement, continued.
dictionary.com
Persistence is something that is developed and not given. It is a character trait that we must practice and is a twin to patience! So how does persistence pertain to our pursuit of God?
Being persistent in our pursuit in our walk with God means that no matter what, we won’t run from Him, but always run to Him. It means that we make up our mind that there is no turning back. Being persistent in our pursuit means that we have an attitude set in our heart that decides in advance, no matter how hard this gets, I am not letting go of God!
So how do we develop persistence? For me, the first is by making the choice daily. Like I mentioned above, deciding in advance. You can’t wait till things get hard then decide to run to God in the spur of the moment. You may succeed, but most likely something will detour you in that moment. So every day, decree that you are choosing to run to God.
Developing persistence requires practice! It requires discipline! Patience is a fruit of the Spirit. How is fruit grown and matured? In the natural, you have to have good soil, water and sunshine and most of all the seed. Spiritually, having patience as a fruit means you plant the seed of the Word of God in your heart, you water it by continuing in the Word and cultivate it by obeying God. As that fruit grows, it is an outward evidence of these things working together.
What are some things that have helped you develop persistence in your pursuit of God? I would love to hear from you!
Godspeed! Renae
In Pursuit of God 