I am a youth leader at a high school youth group, called Alive, at my church. And tonight there was a message about “Bae.” Ya know, what kids these days call their significant other. It stands for “Before Anyone Else.” I can’t remember all the things that were said because I stopped hearing the speaker and started praying, started listening to God more than the speaker. I know he was talking about communication, quality time, surrender and how we we need to give those things not only to the significant people in our life, but eternally more importantly, to God. This was a great topic, but it turns out that God had something else to say to me tonight.
When he was talking, somehow my mind wondered off into World Race land, which happens more than I would like to admit. But out of the blue the word persevere came into my mind. And the guy who was speaking said something along the lines of God trying to give us directions if we would just turn to him and listen instead of following what those around us want us to do. So, world race land, God is giving directions, persevere. Okay God. Got it.
At least I thought I did.
I drove home, singing along to Klove and not thinking about that word that God had just dropped into my life. Sat down to do some reading and spend some time with God. I just finished up another book so I wasn’t sure where I would be reading in my bible tonight. But I opened it up and I had a bookmark in James. We talked about James a bit last night at Vintage, a college group I attend, regrading wisdom. So I figured I’d read James, I mean its written by Jesus’ younger brother, like how cool is that?! Plus it related to the message from Vintage so I should learn more about it.
James 1:2-4Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
Okay. So. Apparently I hadn’t quite grasped perseverance enough and God wanted to throw it in my brain a few more times. I get it. Okay. I need to persevere through my current struggles with the world race, which are fundraising and finances in general. Alright God, I’ll push through. I trust you.
James 5:10-11 Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
Remember when I said I just finished reading another book. Wanna guess what that was? Job. Yup
.(Sideline! – I am not claiming to be facing even 1/100th of the struggles that Job faced! It is just what the bible and God were sharing with me tonight.)
Okay. Alrighty then, God. I hear you. I may not get all of what you are asking me to get right now, but I am listening. Perseverance, struggles…you are compassionate and merciful… I hear you, God.
I don’t know whats coming up. But God is letting me know that I have to keep pushing through. Persevere is defined as: to persist in anything undertaken; maintain a purpose in spite of difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement; continue steadfastly. When I looked this up further, this is what I got:
Synonyms – Continue, endure, persist, persevere, last, remain – imply existing uninterruptedly for an appreciable length of time.
Continue implies duration or existence without break or interruption.
Endure used of people or things, implies persistent continuance against influences that tend to weaken, undermine, or destroy.
Persist and persevere used principally of people, both imply firm and steadfast continuance in the face of opposition.
Persist suggests human opposition: He persisted after he had been warned;
Persevere suggests opposition from any source, often an impersonal one: He persevered despite fatigue.
Last often applies to something that holds out to a desired end, fresh, unimpaired, or unexhausted, sometimes under conditions that tend to produce the opposite effect: They had provisions enough to last all winter.
Remain is especially applied to what continues without change in its essential state: He remained a bachelor.
(all of the above definitions, synonyms and examples are directly from dictionary.reference.com)
I think that God is doing one of two things here…
1) He is letting me know that he sees how much I’ve been trying with fundraising. He knows that I feel like my wheels are spinning but I’m not getting super far, or some days anywhere at all. He knows this, He knows how exhausting and hard it has been, and He wants me to push on.
2) He is preparing me to push through, endure and continue through something that is coming. And I suppose this could be world race related, or not. Maybe I am about to face something that is going to push me, test me, try me and/or tempt me. Maybe something is going to try and shake my faith and trust in God.
Maybe, maybe, maybe. I don’t know. I am finite and he is infinite. All I know is that God wants me to persevere, be firm and steadfast, despite opposition from all sides. God wants me to continue on this path without a break. He wants me to endure against all influences no matter how disastrous or exhausting. He wants me to persist after being told it would be okay to give up. He wants me to last until we’ve reached the desired end goal. And He wants me to remain in the essential state of His love, grace, mercy, Joy and holiness without wavering.
I don’t know what is up ahead, God. But I will persevere. It feels like you are preparing me for something God, even if its just to keep pushing on. And I would be lying if I said it didn’t seem a wee bit nerve racking, but I will hold on, God. I will remain in you and I will persevere.
Persevere: “carry on, go on, keep on, keep going, struggle on, hammer away, be persistent, be determined, see/follow something through, keep at it, press on/ahead, not take no for an answer, be tenacious, stand one’s ground, stand fast/firm, hold on, go the distance, stay the course, plod on, stop at nothing, leave no stone unturned.”
