The Attitude That Changes Everything

What has stopped you in your tracks?

Think about a time in your life when you started to go somewhere but didn’t reach your destination. Maybe you got lost or ran out of gas. Or perhaps you encountered an obstacle, such as car trouble, road construction, or bad weather.

What did you miss out on by not reaching your destination?

Many people get lost in life because they have no idea where they’re going. But others have a clear destination in mind and still don’t get there. They start going where they think God wants them to go, but they never arrive because they give up or get distracted along the way.

I think that’s true of a lot of Christians. If we’re honest, most of us can point to a God-honoring goal or calling in our lives that we’ve given up on.

Maybe you resolved to take better care of yourself physically, to get your finances under control, or to spend more time in prayer. You started out strong, but you became distracted by circumstances in your life or discouraged by obstacles in your way.

[First Name], you can’t always change your circumstances or remove the obstacles in your path. But you can choose to adopt the attitude of perseverance.

What is perseverance? Someone once said that perseverance is the determination to continue pursuing your God-given dreams in spite of unexpected setbacks, undeserved criticism, and unrelenting hard work.

Perseverance is the attitude that says, “I will not give up.” It’s persisting in what God has called you to do even when the going gets tough.

Think about the Israelites at Jericho in Joshua 6. God commanded them to march around the entire city once a day for six days, and on the seventh day, they were to march around the city seven times. Then the priests would blow their trumpets, the people would shout, and the wall would come down.

Imagine how the Israelites must have felt marching day after day in that hot Palestinian sun. I’m sure they got tired. I’m sure they had doubts. But they kept doing what God told them to do, and eventually the wall came down. If the Israelites had given up before completing their assignment, they would have missed God’s blessing.

You can develop that same quality of perseverance in your life. Let me share four practical insights to help you persevere through doubts and difficulties.

1. Understand the value of perseverance. You may think you can’t be successful because you’re not as gifted as other people. That’s not true. Usually, the difference between success and failure is not talent; it’s perseverance. Philippians 2:13 says God has given you the ability to fulfill His purpose for you.

2. Anticipate obstacles. Some obstacles can be removed, but some obstacles cannot be overcome. Think about the apostle Paul, who had a “thorn in the flesh” that hindered his ministry. Three times he asked God to remove it, and each time God said, “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Corinthians 12:7–9). When unmovable obstacles come into our lives, we can either give up or choose to view those problems as opportunities to trust in God.

3. Realize failure isn’t final. Nobody ever stubbed his toe while standing still. If you are moving forward, you’re going to stub your toe from time to time—but you’re still moving forward.

4. Expect to work hard. Perseverance takes real effort. The Israelites didn’t see the results of their effort until their thirteenth march around the city of Jericho. But they kept marching again and again, and God blessed their obedience.

If you’ve given up on something in your life that you know would honor God, now is the time to get back on track and persevere in what God has called you to do. Choose the attitude of perseverance, and take the next step forward today!