“So do not throw away your confidence, it will be richly rewarded. You will need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he promised.”  Hebrews 10:35-36

What does persevere mean? According to dictionary.com, it means to continue in a course of action even in the face of difficulty or with little or no prospect of success. The science of perseverance is to persist steadfastly in pursuit of an
undertaking, task, journey, or goal, even if hindered by distraction, difficulty, obstacles or discouragement.

Nearly four years ago my father received a fateful diagnosis from his doctor. The moment he realized how it would impact his life he became frustrated as he didn’t have a lot of patience. Standing in the way of God’s promise were days of missing dear grandchildren events, days of not feeling the heat of the sun, days of pain, days of sadness and days of lacking self-worth. It was heart wrenching to watch him struggle with this life test, however he never wavered or abandoned God’s will.

My father was a servant leader. Sunday school teacher, church council member, town board chairman, county board supervisor, school board president, husband, father, and grandfather were all titles he reverently earned in his lifetime. He never abandoned his roles or duties. Learning each role took time and so do the blessings of God. So when he realized the challenges of the new role he would face in his last few years on Earth, he was reminded that he would receive all that God promised, even in the midst of his pain.

On November 2, All Saints Day, my father went on to Glory. His faith persevered his pain and what a glorious promise he received.

Prayer: Gracious God, please give us the confidence to patiently endure. We may not win the game, not be offered the promotion at work or even fail on that big test. There is a great reward if only we hold fast. Jesus patiently
endured His final moments on the cross, suffering until the end, but you crowned Him with honor for finishing the race. Give us strength to not quit for we know those that preserve will be rewarded in the end. Amen.