WHEN HAVE YOU PERSEVERED?

WHEN HAVE YOU PERSEVERED?     What took long-term stamina for you to accomplish? Are you glad you did not give up? How often did your mind wage war against your emotions, saying, I can't do this anymore; yes I can; no I can't; I'm not quitting? But you kept at it. You persevered to the end! You were rewarded with what you set out to accomplish.   Did you notice that your character improved along the way? God has assigned to you certain purposes in life for which he expects loyalty and commitment. The attitude that grows through perseverance is, There's no turning back from what God asks!     PERSEVERANCE IS NOT OPTIONAL     Was there a time in your life when giving up was not an option? Perhaps God asked you to restore a relationship, build a ministry, heal from abuse, forgive an offender, or find a job. Maybe he entrusted you to raise a terrible-twos toddler, pray for an unsaved spouse, be a good witness during a serious illness, or wait patiently for a book contract. Did you persevere while completing your undergraduate degree, learning to play racquetball, finalizing an adoption, or building a cabin? Florence Littauer, founder of CLASS (Christian Leaders, Authors, and Speakers Services), continues to persevere for God.     FLORENCE LITTAUER DOESN'T GIVE UP     Florence is the author of thirty books on topics such as encouragement, relationships, and communication. Many of her titles have sold more than a hundred thousand copies each; Personality Plus has sold more than a million. She has received an Honorary Doctorate of Humanities, has been a member of the National Speakers' Association for twenty years, and has been chosen for the Award for Excellence from her peers.     Florence dearly loves to study God's Word, live it, and teach others to live it. She taught her daughter, Marita, that leaders are servants of God and that they do whatever it takes to help out, including sweeping floors in an auditorium before a keynote speech. Florence has changed the world of Christian speaking. Through her commitment of twenty-three years of leadership, she has trained more than ten thousand men and women by giving them the tools and techniques of effective communication.     Florence describes how difficult persevering can be: "Writing one book per year, sometimes two, for the past twenty-five years has not been an easy task. At one point, I had fast-approaching deadlines for a book, a Bible study, and a line of greeting cards, but each day there was something that distracted me from writing. It is only through the grace of God and his gift to me of disciplined perseverance, despite delays, that I met those deadlines and will meet others in the future.Praise God for his grace and his gift."     Her secret strategy: "Pray and decide where you believe God wants you to be ten years from now, and then . . . get on with it! Say, 'Yes, I can. Yes, I will. Yes, I am starting right now.' And, remember, the first step is always the hardest one of all."     When Have You Persevered?     A Widow Understood the Virtue of Perseverance     Jesus told a parable about a widow who, because of her persistence, was finally granted justice by an evil judge. This story about persistence will remind you to pray continually with expectant faith. Read the parable in Luke 18:1–8. Who do you know who has been worn out or beaten down, but didn't give up?     SCRIPTURE TO PONDER     Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. (Romans 5:3–4)     SUGGESTED PRAYER     Dear Lord, help me, _________, learn to rejoice in my sufferings, because I know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. Today I pray that I will become a woman of extreme perseverance, not letting difficulties and delays discourage me. I ask especially for persistence that will build my character and give me hope when I am in a "holding pattern" of waiting for things to happen or improve. Help me see that it is actually easier for me to persevere than to live with the regret of having given up hope. Thank you for your gift of perseverance.     So . . . What Insight, Prayer, or Action Step Has God Laid on Your Heart Today?

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