Perseverance

“If you’re going through hell, keep going.”

“We shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.” – Winston Churchill[i]

On May 10, 1940, a month after Germany seized Norway and the same day that Germany invaded the Benelux Countries, Winston Churchill became the British Prime Minister. With Britain’s allies falling like dominos, Churchill committed himself and the nation to all-out war until victory was achieved. He reassured and rallied his countrymen during the Battle of Britain in the summer of 1940, and the British victory became an early turning point in the war.[ii]

Great Britain was still standing, but it would take five more years before victory was achieved. For Churchill’s England, perseverance was essential to survival.

Jesus spoke about perseverance in one of his parables. A widow repeatedly had been demanding justice from a judge who neither feared God nor respected men. After ignoring her for a while, the judge finally gave her justice just to get her to stop bothering him. 

“And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night?” asked Jesus. “Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily” (Luke 18:7–8).

How often do we lose heart when we pray for a while and don’t receive a response? What will the righteous judge do for us if we persist in asking for justice, or mercy, or help, or strength, or comfort, or any other good thing?

God is good to those who wait for him and who earnestly seek him.

Questions for Reflection and Application

• Why did David believe that he would see “the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living”?
• What is the longest stretch of time that you have prayed consistently for something? What happened?
• Why doesn’t God answer all of our prayers quickly? Why does he seem to demand perseverance from us?
• Other than in your prayer life, what are some areas of your life where God wants you to be more perseverant?

[i] “Winston Churchill Quotes About Perseverance”, AZQuotes.com.

[ii] Herbert G. Nicholas, “Winston Churchill: Prime Minister of the United Kingdom”, Encyclopedia Britannica, 1998.

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