The miles were many and hard. Eight miles. Ten miles. Twelve. Sunshine and rain. Some days I had to literally talk aloud to myself just to get through the training run.
“Okay, Beth, walk to the next tree. Now run to that shadow. You can do this!”
By the time race day came, I was ready. I knew I wasn’t going to be as fast as I would have liked. Four months prior I was in an orthopedic boot recovering from a sprained foot. A lot of patience and perseverance was required just to get to the point where I was running again. But now I was ready to run 13.1 miles.
I’ve been through a lot of things in my life that have required perseverance. My mental illness. Pregnancy. Recovery from postpartum trauma. Challenges in my marriage.
Perseverance is a gift from God. We just have to have the right perspective. Let’s take a look into Biblical examples of perseverance, and then think about how God directs us to persevere.
Biblical Examples of Perseverance
Noah persevered in building the Ark, despite being made fun of. I recently watched a documentary where it was proposed that building this massive boat took him as long as 55 years! He also persevered in the 40 days of rain, and the 150 days it took for the waters to recede so that he and the inhabitants of the Ark could once again stand on dry ground. Can you imagine being cooped up that long with all those animals? I can’t! But what a gift God gave Noah to lead the rejuvenation of the earth!
Abraham was faithful in his patience as God directed him towards the promised land. Not only that, but his perseverance as he waited for a son that seemed biologically impossible is astounding. The birth of Isaac was truly an extra special gift given the circumstances.
Then we must look at Moses and the Israelites. The Israelites were subjected to slavery in Egypt for 430 years before Moses helped to free them. Then, through God’s direction, they had to wait another 40 years before they saw the Promised Land. When you have worked so hard to get there, the land flowing with milk and honey is so much sweeter!
The ultimate gift we experience from someone who persevered is that of our Savior. So many times Jesus was challenged by the Jewish religious leaders, not taken seriously, and then mocked, beaten, and eventually left to die on a cross. Jesus persevered through all of that, and the gift is that he overcame death so that we don’t have to.
Aside from Jesus, the person I most look up to when thinking about perseverance is the Apostle Paul. I’m not going to compare my suffering to his, but I identify with it nonetheless. He recounts his struggles in 2 Corinthians:
Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.
-2 Corinthians 11:24-28 (ESV)
He endured all of that and then he says:
For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
-2 Corinthians 12:10 (ESV)
What do we gain from perseverance?
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
– Romans 5:1-5 (NKJV)
Perseverance gives us the gift of faith and hope. It allows us to “glory in tribulations,” or rejoice in our trials, because when we persevere through these struggles, God grows us nearer to him. He strengthens us. When we are strong in the Lord, we gain hope that even in our trials, God is not only there, but also doing a great work in us.
The satisfaction of running all those miles as I trained for my half-marathon gave me hope that I could continue on and complete the race. I had faith I could run the distance, so I continued on, which increased my hope of finishing. After each long run that was completed, I gained the confidence that I could persevere for the full 13.1 miles.
Perseverance is a by-product of the Holy Spirit living in us. We persevere, not because we are strong, but because in our weakness we seek out God for help, and he gives us strength. It’s God’s still small voice in the recesses of our mind that speaks supernatural encouragement when we feel like we’re ready to give up. It is only through Christ that we can continue to persevere beyond what we thought we were capable of. If we try to push through trials on our own, we can only get so far. The Holy Spirit brings us to the end.
Next time you face a trial, rejoice! God is giving you an opportunity to walk closely with him as you travel that road together. He’s offering you the chance to lean into him and watch as his Holy Spirit works mightily in your life. He’s offering you the opportunity to represent him to those who are watching you.
Being Authentic in Your Trials
If you’ve been around my blog for a while, you know that I talk very openly about my mental health challenges. I do so, not just to break the stigma mental health has in our society, but also to show people how God can work through me as I walk through my mental health journey.
Recently, a mom of a teenage girl approached me in desperation. Her daughter was experiencing an episode of psychosis, something I’m very familiar with, and her psychiatrist was out of town. She just needed help thinking through what she needed to do and, because I have been so open publicly about my bipolar disorder and other mental health challenges, she reached out to me. I spoke with her for a while, she formed a plan, and then later told me how grateful she was for my help. A few weeks later I was able to meet her daughter and I’m opening myself up to mentor this girl if God so ordains it. Had I not exhibited my perseverance publicly, I might not have had the opportunity to help this family who are in the midst of a really dark season. I feel honored that they invited me into that darkness.
Our world is full of false perfection. Due to our obsession with technology, we are a culture of comparison. I challenge you to break down the walls of false perfection and live authentically. That’s not to say that you should use social media as an open book diary of your life, but find opportunities to show how God is gifting you with an opportunity to persevere. It could be as small as admitting that little miss runner girl had a really hard long run which she wanted to quit and call someone to come pick her up but didn’t. Or it could be something bigger like, “Hey, ya’ll, I’m having a really hard time with my mental health lately. Will you pray for me?”
Above all else, remember that perseverance is a gift. It’s an invitation from God to walk closely with him.
Bethany Marinelli is an author and speaker out of Orlando, Florida. She also supports her husband, Andrew, in his auto repair business and homeschools her son, Arthur.
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