Perseverance by Debb Hackett
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. (Hebrews 12:1 and a little bit of 2).
I sat and listened to a sermon on Sunday, and the pastor mentioned perseverance. My mind instantly went to a little boy, just four years old, who saw a fighter plane flash across the sky, and became captivated. For years, that was all he wanted to be, the person flying the plane. He did all the right things at school, went solo in a glider at 16 and earned a flying scholarship from the military to get his Private Pilot’s License, then joined the Royal Air Force at 19.
Things were going well until he hit jet training and discovered those high speed flights with lots of twists and turns triggered significant motion sickness. How could a fighter pilot ever succeed, when every flight made him violently ill? In an instant, living his dream became a nightmare.
Jesus understands
The New Testament is littered with encouragement to keep going. Jesus faced opposition to his ministry at every turn, even to death on a cross, but three days later… well, we all know the ultimate happily ever after story. Breaking it down, perseverance means being steadfast in difficulty. And what does Paul, the author of Hebrews advise? That we fix our eyes on Jesus.
Albert Einstein, was told by a teacher he’d never amount to much. But Einstein says a person doesn’t truly fail until they stop trying.
Today, I want to encourage you to try again. To give it another day. Rethink your method. Revise the plan. Try a new approach. Whatever the obstacle you’re facing right now, persevere. Commit your effort to the Lord, throw off anything that’s getting in your way spiritually, and try again. And take a leaf out of Hebrews: fix your eyes on Jesus, because if you do, I’m confident you’ll get the sense he’s cheering you on, every step, every page, every conversation, every breath.
Oh and our sensitive pilot? He persevered. He’s one of the most highly decorated fighter pilots out there.
About the author…
I’m a military wife and mom to two teenage girls (oh Lord have mercy). I write contemporary romance and have written a Bible study for military wives. I love to play guitar, read and ski, and I bleed green and gold (go Pack go). Swing by when I’ve been baking – the kettle is always on ready alert.
If you’d like a great book on writing I helped with, here’s the link...
And you can find more Word on Wednesdays here…
A great encouragement Debb, thank you
Amen!!! So needed to hear this today! Thank you and hugs my Friend!
Love this, Debb!!!
Excellent message! If ever there were days when we need to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus in order to persevere, I believe we are there. Don’t look at the world… focus on Jesus!