PERSEVERANCE AND PERSISTENCE

Recently, I was trying to unscrew a lid to retrieve honey from a glass container.  After running hot water over it and gently tapping the lid with a small mallet, the lid would not budge, so I asked the Lord, “Would you please give me strength to loosen this lid?” After several failed attempts, I set it aside.  

The next day, I was determined to loosen the lid, so I soaked the jar in hot water and again gently tapped with the mallet. Using all my strength, I was still unsuccessful and said aloud, “Please Lord. I need Your help to free this lid.” Suddenly, the lid loosened, and it dawned on me that God rewards persistence, perseverance and those who never giving up.

We are not to grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9). For we are to count it all joy when we have various trials, for the testing of our faith produces steadfastness. And our steadfastness helps us to be perfect, complete, and lacking nothing (James 1:2-4).

What is steadfastness? It is to be firm, determined, resolute, relentless, single-minded, steady, unwavering, unyielding, and persevering. To persevere is to be resolute, determined, and to never give up in pursuing a goal no matter the difficulties. Daniel and Job had those traits despite overwhelming circumstances.

Daniel, a young Jewish boy from Israel, was captured by the Babylonians, and served as a trusted advisor who interpreted the king's dreams and visions. Eventually Darius became king and decreed an irrevocable law that anyone caught praying and not worshipping only him for a set 30 days would be thrown into the lions' den. Spies reported to Darius that Daniel was praying to his God. (Daniel 3:1–7).

Darius reluctantly ordered Daniel thrown into the lion’s den. Yet, he favored Daniel and prayed all night for him. And throughout the night Daniel prayed, and the LORD closed the mouths of the lions. King Darius, impressed with Daniel’s God, restored Daniel to his position as the king’s advisor. The king then punished Daniel's accusers and sent them and their families into the den of lions. Daniel remained the king’s advisor until his death. Darius then issued a decree that all the people would revere Daniel's God.

Job, who had infinite possessions, was the greatest of all the men of the East (Job 1:1-3). One day, Satan and his fallen angels came before God, who told Satan that His servant Job was blameless and upright and feared Him and shunned evil. Satan accused God of placing a hedge of protection around Job, his household, and everything he owned and had blessed the work of his hands, his flocks, and herds.

Satan challenged God to remove His protection, so Job would curse God. God gave Satan permission to destroy all that Job had, except he was not to touch Job physically (Job 1:6-22). However, Job refused to curse God. Later,  Job was so distraught, he cursed his birth, wishing that he had never been born (Job 3:1-26).

Satan came before God again with his fallen angels. This time, he challenged God that if Job’s health was gone, he would surely curse God. So, God allowed Satan to attack Job’s health. The text reveals Job’s horrific physical and mental sufferings and his many unanswered questions to God as to what he had done wrong to deserve such great pain and losses. Even worse, his “friends” accused him of sinning, and said he was reaping deserved punishment.

Job persistently cried out to God but was met with silence. Even his wife told him to curse God and die (Job 2:9). Can you imagine Job’s mental anguish and confusion in not hearing from God and then to have his wife and friends turn on him.

God finally spoke to Job and said: “Who is this that obscures My (sovereign) plans with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me” (Job 38-41 NIV). Those chapters tell us that Job did not truly know God, which is a common paradox among many believes who know about God but do not have a personal, daily relationship with Him.

God questioned Job, but he could not answer His questions. He had obeyed God because he was afraid of what God might do if he disobeyed. He had lamented, “What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me. (Job 3:25). After Job was unable to answer God’s numerous questions, he finally realized that he did not know God.  

“I know that You can do all things; no purpose of Yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures My plans without knowledge?” (Job 42:2-5 NIV) Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.

“You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer Me.’ My ears had heard of You but now my eyes have seen You.  Therefore I  despise  myself
and repent in dust and ashes” (vs. 4-6).

Job had honored God and did everything perfectly because he was afraid of falling  from God’s good graces and losing  all that he had (Job 32:1-6). Unfortunately, he did not have a true relationship with God until He made Job aware that hearing of God was not the same as knowing God through relationship. Shortly after Job’s repentance, God chastised Job’s friends for being in error and falsely accusing him. God then restored Job’s fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before.   

We cannot earn our way to heaven by being good. For Jesus said, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God” (Mark 10:18 NKJV). We receive salvation by grace through faith which is a gift from God and not from works (Ephesians 2:8-9). We also see in Isaiah 64:6 that human righteousness is as "filthy rags," showing the inadequacy of good deeds without a true relationship with God. 

We are to obey and fear (have a reverence for God) but not be afraid (fearful, apprehensive, worried). Therefore, He extends this amazing invitation to us: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will hear you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:11-13 ESV).

Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20 ESV). Inviting someone into our home represents fellowship, friendship, and closeness. That is why God perseveres in knocking on hearts, waiting to be invited in.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, light a fire within me to persevere and never give up in building a personal relationship with You through Your Son Jesus Christ. Give me a hunger for Your Word and for prayer so I can receive revelation of Your truths and apply them to my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.