Perseverance

Have you ever had a goal that you were trying and trying to accomplish but it just seemed to elude your grasp?  You worked towards it time and time again, month after month, and year after year but you fall short every time.   Don’t give up now!  This trial is producing perseverance in you; God can provide for you the wisdom, the opportunities, and the ability to accomplish the goal.  His Word reminds you to:

 “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.  If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you (James 1:2-5, NIV).”

In college I had a goal on my wall for five years to become an NCAA track and field All-American and run 3:50 in the 1500-meter run.   Every year I fell seconds short. The end of my season of my last year came to a close and I still had not accomplished the goal.  I had not run fast enough to be selected to continue my season at the National Championships.  I gave up hope and began to start my summer job.  However, God had other plans!  Seven runners dropped out of the 1500-meter run, so I made the final cut to run in the National Championships!  In the championship final I ended up running my goal of 3:50 and ended up placing high enough to receive All-American honors.  In my last race of my last year of college, the goal was met.  God had a perfect plan and perseverance won the day.  Keep pressing forward because God is never early and never late!

Come on out to the running group at 5:30pm tomorrow night and hear the rest of the story on my five years of perseverance.  Be inspired, your breakthrough is just around the next turn!

- Dr. Nate