Perseverance adds an active ingredient to patience. Patience is often passive, when we can do nothing else. I am reminded of Paul's statement that he has learned to be content with all circumstances. Perseverance is an accomplishment. Perseverance is preface to survival. It is the active overcoming of obstacles. Bill Glass played 22 years of football without serious injury which he attributes to the fact that he was always so aggressive. As he says, "the man who gets run over generally gets hurt worse than the guy who is doing the running over."
Perseverance is achieved by process, not by feeling. It is knowable, doable, and repeatable. This gives it a scientific quality and this encourages us.
Let me share some personal case studies in perseverance.
My friend Bufe's 21-year-old daughter was killed in an automobile accident. He preached her funeral saying, "I've been preaching that it works and I want to prove it." Later his son contracted AIDS and died while serving as music director of the church. Bufe told a pastor in Portland of his personal tragedy and God's sufficiency. The Portland pastor urged him to come and talk to his evening service which drew 1400 people. At the close of his talk, 400 went to the altar and he had to stay an extra two or three days just to deal with people and their organizations who were hurting. He persevered when the heat was white hot.
Another friend is pastor of a very strict holiness church. He was just beginning to gain national recognition when his 17-year-old daughter told him that she was pregnant. She was unmarried and the father had left the country. He knew that according to the rules of the church his ministry was over. He faced the church and, to every one's surprise, they stood solidly with him and saw the girl through.
A good friend since he was a student was Pastor of a large Texas church until his death. He was once asked how long he has been pastor of the church. He answered thoughtfully, "I have been senior minister fifteen years but I've only been pastor for the last five, since my wife left me and my son was killed. Now I am their pastor."
A Presbyterian pastor who had built a fine church found that in his early fifties he had Alzheimer's disease. He called his elders together and resigned, telling them that his mind was going very quickly. While he could still be conscious of their promise he wanted them to say that he could clean up the friendship hall after the mid-week dinners when he was no longer able to preach. He wanted to know that he was going to be of service. That is active perseverance.
A business friend, having been removed through merger as President, came to see me as the first step in his getting out again. He knew he was going to make it if he could "just get past himself." Our ego is, many times, the largest part of our problem. Get past our ego and we're on the way. A Dallas president and friend saw his company go into chapter 11. After he had slaved two years to bring it out I asked him, "Are you a better man for going through the tribulation?" He replied, "Yes, but my ego took a whale of a beating." I replied, "That may be the exact reason you're a better man."
Fighting the good fight means getting the task into perspective, aligning the resources, controlling the ego and then continuing to the end. You have your own stories. Think back through the experiences and determine what kept you going and how your life is different today…it is, I can promise you.
