Week 64: Perseverance - Even the Snail reached the Ark

“By perseverance the snail reached the ark.” (Charles H. Spurgeon)

“He who gives up when he is behind is cowardly. He who gives up when he is ahead is foolish.” (William Arthur Ward)

Problems arise, trials unwelcome, troubles surface and testing unavoidable; all these will surely come either you are ready or not. In the midst of doing work suddenly a phone ring, information cut off, and just before it is almost complete, something is going wrong. This last though comes to mind: ‘Give up’.

Final Exam is near. Study week is almost over. You study, yes! You stayed up till late at night, yes! You skip party invitations, yes! And you pray and fast, yes! Yes, you had done all that. But deep inside your heart there’s this voice telling you ‘No matter what you do… no matter how hard you try… no matter how much you pray… you just a failure. After all, this is your third times taking this same paper over and over again, now, why do you think it would be any different this time?” At this point, facts win over your confidence. So you stop trying and give up.

I don’t know what you are struggling with right now. Perhaps you have problem with your relationship, or perhaps you thought that your life is meaningless or perhaps you might be struggle with your faith in Christ. Trials and testing come knocking constantly at your doorstep of faith. You see cracks. You see termites working overtime. You want to give up.

…......

Persevere, my friend. All these problems, trials, troubles and testing can either strengthen you or break you down. Pay as little attention to discouragement as possible. It all pretty much depends on your attitude. If you see your problems as stepping stones to become stronger, if you see it as a temporary struggles that you need to persevere in order to be a person of solid character, if you see these troubles as God’s mystery ways to mold you into Christ-likeness – you will become a person who can handle any obstacle that may come your ways. But if you see your problems as giant barriers, if you see that your struggles is permanence, if you see your troubles is bigger than your God – you will get discouraged, give up, turn back, and never allow yourself to become more than you are now.

Ronald A. Beers writes, “Perseverance is based on the promise of God’s persistent, faithful work in your life. God never stops working in you, and that should motivate you to always be looking for what he will do next to help you grow. The fuel of endurance for life is the power of God working in you.” Nothing in this world can take the place of perseverance. Talented person without perseverance can never go far. Well trained athlete without perseverance will never make it to the finish line. Babies without perseverance can never walk the earth once they grow up. (Oh, just observe babies and learn perseverance from them!)

Read this inspiring poem by the Unknown* slowly and thoughtfully. I hope that it may encourage your heart like it does to me and motivate you to always persevere in whatever you do.

"Don’t Quit" by Unknown*

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,

When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,

When the funds are low and the debts are high,

And when you want to smile, but you have to sigh,

When care is pressing you down a bit –

Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,

As everyone of us sometimes learns,

And many a failure turns about

When he might have won though he stuck it out.

Don’t give up, though the pace seems slow –

You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than

It seems to a faint and faltering man;

Often the struggler has given up

When he might have captured the victor’s cup

And he learned too late, when the night’s slipped down

How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out –

The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,

And you never can tell how close you are,

It may be near when it seems afar;

So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit –

It’s when things seem worst that you mustn’t quit.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP. 

*Quote from The Speaker's Quote Book by Roy B. Zuck © 1997,2009 by Kregel Publications.