PathFinder Ministries

Building Character > Persevere

A - "Character, like embroidery, is made stitch by stitch."

S - "...and we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." ~ Romans 5:3b-4

A - As we come to the end of our section on Preparing for your Purpose, we're still building. Building an awareness of God, a relationship with God, patience for God's timing and today - perseverance. Perseverance has been defined as sticking to/with something you're not stuck on! And from our Scripture today, we see that suffering often times produces perseverance...I don't think any of us are ever stuck on that!

As we think of some Bible characters who showed great stick-to-it-ness - consider what would have happened if they had given up. Noah - obeyed God without knowing what rain, let alone, a flood was. I'm sure he was ridiculed by his neighbors and considered stopping construction on the ark several times. Joseph - with all the suffering and unfair treatment he received, it would have been understandable if he'd thrown in the towel and decided to rot in jail. Ruth - after the death of her young husband, could have returned home to her family in Moab and missed out on the opportunity to be part of the lineage of Jesus. Nehemiah - with having to deal with all the opposition to rebuilding the wall in Jerusalem, it would have been easier to just forget the project and let the people continue to live unprotected. Paul - with all his near-death experiences, could have decided to go back to his life of luxury and give up on reaching the Gentiles. Jesus....need I say more?

What about you? Has God given you a task to complete? How are you persevering or are you? Are you struggling to stick to something you're just not all that crazy about doing? Notice the end of today's verse - perseverance and character leads to hope! Romans 12:12 tells us to "be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer." Paul reminds us in Romans 15:4 ..."through endurance/perseverance and encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."

P - Ask God to remind you of the hope you have in Him and what the reward for your perseverance will be. Don't quit! Don't fall for the Enemy's lies and tricks to get you to give up. Stay strong.....and remember "Do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised." ~ Hebrews 10:35-36

Next Time....Obstacles to Your Purpose