“But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it” (James 1:25).
The Oxford Dictionary defines the verb «persevere» as follows: «To continue in a course of action even in the face of difficulty or with little or no prospect of success» or «to continue steadfastly.
One freezing night some friends and I went to a little house in Humahuaca, a small, picturesque tourist city in Northern Argentina. We were going to spend the night there thanks to the kindness of a local potter, and when we entered his kitchen we met a French backpacker who was also visiting the place.
He told us a bicycle he had bought to go across from Northern to Southern Argentina would be arriving in a few days. He showed us his tent, saddlebag, meager belongings that fit in a tiny backpack, and told us he was determined to fulfill his long-cherished dream.
Two days later, we traveled north and he received the bike he was expecting, and set off toward the south.
It took him 184 days and 4000 miles to reach his destination, but he did it. He crossed a mountain range, survived storms, trucks, winds, the cold, the heat and extreme exhaustion. But he persevered in what he had set out to do and was successful.
In the Bible, we’re often encouraged to persevere: in the fear of the Lord, with our thoughts on God, in producing fruit with a kind heart, in prayer and supplication, in doctrine, in communion, in the breaking of bread, in God’s grace, in doing good, in the gospel, in the perfect law of freedom. In so many ways and areas that include not only our personal spiritual life, but also daily actions on behalf of others.
«As the miner discovers veins of precious metal concealed beneath the surface of the earth, so will he who perseveringly searches the word of God as for hid treasure find truths of the greatest value, which are concealed from the view of the careless seeker. The words of inspiration, pondered in the heart, will be as streams flowing from the fountain of life» (Steps to Christ, ch. 10, p. 90).
Perhaps you don’t dream of crossing a mountain range on bike, but as Christians we can persevere in everything we are commanded to do and resolve to spend more time studying God’s Word. It will also be an unforgettable journey and an even greater blessing!