Perseverance

I've been thinking about an email I got from my friend, Stacy, this morning. In it she mentioned how I persevere...and that people just don't do that anymore. That stirred my emotions, and I wasn't even sure why at first, so I processed through it.

I think it's that I know it's right to persevere, and finally someone verbalized what I know to be true...that people, in general, don't do it anymore. It's not the norm in our society. Certainly, I have friends who do persevere in various ways, and I'm grateful for them.

But perseverance is why I had such a hard time with a friend's divorce...knowing they struggled much like my husband and I have struggled in our marriage, yet my friend, ultimately, didn't persevere. There are many times when I want to quit too, so I guess it makes me feel more alone and on my own, reminding me that I really am a stranger in this world.

I know this world is not my home, and in time there will be ultimate relief. I realize that now is the time to persevere and to fight the good fight of faith. I wish that more people--more Christians--would fight that fight rather than the fight for comfort...for what feels good in the moment (from sex to food to shopping and accumulating lots of luxuries). I can easily fall into that temptation too, and often wrestle against it, but I want to keep my mind fixed on what truly matters...where true life happens...where joy and peace really can exist... "on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith"; not the perfecter of our comfort, although one day I will have that as well...but then it will be a resting comfort rather than an escaping comfort.

I realize, too, that in order to fight for faith rather than comfort, we need to deal with some root issues in our lives...looking at why we do what we do. That's one thing I love about LifeCare...it's a place to do that and find freedom from things that drive our behaviors that are not best for us. It's interesting that Stacy mentioned my perseverance today because I've noticed lately that I'm being more drawn to comfort in the face of some struggles. I don't want a passion for comfort to drive my behavior and the decisions I make. So I'm thankful that God and LifeCare are helping me discern some root issues there this week so I can live freely as God intended.

We are all called to persevere. Who is willing to answer that call with me?