This Year: Persevere (5)

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We will reap a harvest if we do not give up
Galatians 6:9

Here are three more enemies of perseverance you'll have to defeat each day of this year:

1) Lack of resiliency. Harvard professor George Vaillant identifies resiliency as a significant characteristic of people who navigate the different seasons of life from birth to old age. In his book Aging Well he writes, 'Resilient people are like a twig with a fresh, green, living core. When twisted out of shape the twig bends but it doesn't break; instead it springs back and continues growing.' That's an excellent description of perseverance. We must not become dry, brittle and inflexible. We must draw on God's grace and endeavour to bounce back no matter how we feel.

2) Lack of vision. Everything that's created is actually created twice. First it's created mentally, then it's created physically. And where does our creativity come from? God, our Creator, who made us in His likeness (Genesis 1:27). A God-given vision will keep you moving forward when nothing else will. The lack of one will stop you dead in your tracks.

3) Lack of purpose. Rich Demoss remarked, 'Persistence is stubbornness with a purpose.' It's very difficult to develop persistence when you lack a sense of purpose. Conversely, when you have a passionate sense of purpose, energy rises, obstacles become incidental and perseverance wins out. World champion boxer Mohammad Ali said, 'Champions aren't made in the gyms, they are made from something they have deep inside them; a desire, a dream, a vision. They have last-minute stamina. They have to be a little faster, and they have to have the skill and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill.'

Used with permission from UCB Word for Today. Free issues are available here for the UK and Republic of Ireland.