finish line

Perseverance

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” – James 1:2-4 I love the word perseverance. Defined as “persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success,” I believe this powerful character trait is of utmost importance as we stand on the threshold of a new year. Though the verses above may be familiar to you, there’s something in them Hannah pointed out to me that I think is very significant. Look at the phrase, “let perseverance finish its work.” Did you notice that it’s passive? In other words, without interference, perseverance will have its way in your life, and you will get to where you’re supposed to be. But why would you not

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You Are Not Your Mistakes

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” – Hebrews 12:1 Often, when we struggle with things like addiction or long-standing sin, we grow discouraged because we feel like we will never beat it. We make progress, but then we backslide, and the devil whispers in our ear that we’re just too broken and messed up to change. In fact, this is how he gains a foothold in our lives. When we listen to his constant fatalistic commentary, he convinces us to give up on ourselves, and that’s when we get in trouble. Once we’re running with the ball of self-defeat, we’re tempted to believe that our Heavenly Father feels as negatively about us as we do, and our view

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Stubborn in Accomplishment

“I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” – Philippians 4:13 Yesterday, we talked about how being stubborn in the right areas is a good thing, as long as our hearts remain soft toward people. To this end, one of my favorite childhood stories (which I’m sure I tell from the pulpit at least once a year) involves a fishing trip I went on when I was eleven years old. The day started like any other out on the water, but this time, my dad and my best friend were with me. A while after we set out, I felt a tug on my pole, and I didn’t think anything of it. However, as I began wrestling with whatever was on the other end of the line, I knew it must be huge. Back and forth the creature pulled me, and from one side of the boat

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