Will You Persevere?

After switching on your computer, you enter the World Wide Web, and gain access to the largest library on Earth. Just the click of a button takes you to millions of sites, containing more information than you could possibly imagine. You type in the subject or phrase for which you are looking and almost instantly, every kind of information about it appears on the screen. No longer do you need to spend endless hours paging through encyclopedias to find answers.

In the past 10 years, the Internet has revolutionized the way we think and act. The keyboard has become our new writing tool, reducing pen and paper to an outdated form of communication.

This new way has resulted in a problem—we no longer need to patiently persevere to gain access to information, or even accomplish our goals. Everything is instantly at our fingertips! Need a new pair of shoes? Order them on the Internet. Need a college degree? Sign up for online classes where you can “sit” in a classroom in front of your computer screen, without ever leaving the comfort of your own bedroom.

While there are many positive applications of technology, it does have its downsides. The modern age has redefined the high standards set by previous generations, resulting in a society focused on the get way. Hard work, and the need to persist in that work until success is achieved, is an ideal of the past.

How can you reverse this attitude and learn to persevere in your own life?

Stay Focused!

Many people today are quitters. Almost no one any longer practices the famous saying, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” King Solomon recorded something similar in the book of Proverbs: “If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small” (24:10).

Do you persevere in the face of resistance? Are you one who rises to meet a challenge, and if so, does it bring out the best in you? Can you adapt, be resourceful and generally find ways around obstacles in your path? Would you describe yourself as one who practices “stick-to-it-iveness” non-stop? Are you absolutely unwilling to give up until you have succeeded?

Persevering means remaining focused, having your eyes firmly set on the goal, and pushing yourself to accomplish a task. While uncertainty and doubt are powerful emotions to overcome, the key to persevering is focusing on the solution—not the problem.

Perseverance, or stick-to-it-iveness, is one of the seven laws of success that form the foundation of life, which, if adhered to, will ensure you achieve your goals. (To learn the other six, read The Laws to Success by David C. Pack.) Perseverance is a vital part of anything we do, especially if we expect to remain focused on God’s Way.

Following God’s Way is not always easy. Matthew 7:14 states, “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads unto life, and few there be that find it.”

In his book, Mr. Pack writes, “Christ understood that only a few would pay the price to become a Christian. He knew that most would view the true Christian path as too difficult, too contrary to the easy path that nearly everyone chooses in life.”

Many biblical figures, such as Gideon, David, Noah, Job and even Christ, overcame extremely difficult circumstances. They realized, “With God all things are possible” (Matt. 19:26).

Joshua and Caleb are also examples of leaders who allowed nothing to stop them. In Numbers 13, Moses directed 12 spies to enter Canaan and deliver a report about the Promised Land (vs. 18-20). Before sending them out, Moses told them to be “of good courage” (vs. 20).

In verse 27, the “report” came in. The description of the land was certainly good, and nobody disagreed with that, but the obstacles loomed large in the eyes of the small minds who saw them: “Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak [giants] there” (vs. 28-29).

But, in verse 30, Caleb said, “Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.”

In Numbers 14:8-9, Joshua and Caleb declared, “If the Lord delight in us, then He will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which flows with milk and honey. Only rebel not you against the Lord, neither fear you the people of the land; for they are bread for us [meaning, “we’ll eat them up in battle”]: their defense is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not.”

In spite of the challenges posed by the Promised Land, Caleb was still ready to persevere and possess it.

Don’t Let Obstacles Trip You

The haphazard way many approach life is one of the reasons why they fail to succeed. We may often look to the big obstacles in our path, forgetting that it is not the big obstacles we trip over, but rather the small, almost unseen ones.

It was once said, “Nobody trips over mountains. It is the small pebble that causes you to fall. Pass all the pebbles in your path and you will find you have crossed the mountain.” We should not view any task as a daunting mountain we are unable to climb. If we stay focused on performing little tasks well, then the big ones will take care of themselves. By keeping our attention on the details of daily tasks and completing them, we ensure we have the best success rate in everything we do.

Rare Opportunity

Growing up in God’s Church gives you access to the best education possible. This includes access to the truth of God through your parents.

Solomon, the son of King David, wrote the book of Proverbs. In it are guidelines, which, if applied in our lives, will give us success.

In chapter 1, verses 7 and 8, Solomon gives two crucial resources for success. First he states, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” and second, he advises children to “hear the instruction of your father.” You can, through listening and taking to heart what you are taught in God’s Church, achieve success. But you have to do your part through prayer and Bible study.

As you grow up and mature in God’s Church, you will face many setbacks and challenges that you will have to overcome. Some who attend school with you will ridicule how you live—even those in your family might turn against you. Will you allow this to take you off-track? Or will you persevere and hold to God’s way of life?

Remain Standing

By applying the right formula, you can have success! It is similar to mathematics: if you do not apply the right formula to an equation, you achieve an outcome contrary to what you would otherwise expect.

But you must not give up when at first you fail.

American inventor Thomas Edison was asked by a reporter how he felt about the rumored 10,000 failed attempts to create the incandescent light bulb, before achieving success. He famously replied, “If I find 10,000 ways something won’t work, I haven’t failed. I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is often a step forward...”

Edison also once said, “The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are: first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense.”

Being in God’s Church and persisting in the truth as only taught in The Restored Church of God will allow us to succeed. Also, studying the lives of those in the Bible who held on for the entire duration of their lives will help.

In order to succeed and overcome in this age with so many temptations, we must make use of every tool the Church provides.

Remain steadfast and persevere in whatever you do!