At the Well - Persistence

The topic for today is Persistence.

The discussion questions are:
Think about your daily life as a wife, mother and child of God.
What are some ways that you have persisted when you have been knocked down?
How have these circumstances brought glory to the Father?

There is a verse that I found years ago that stuck a chord in my heart: Psalms 101:2 I will behave wisely in a perfect way. Oh, when will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.

This verse reminded me of the importance of good manners, good behavior, kind words and a heart that seeks out only good things in my own home.

It is so easy at home to "let go" and not give extra attention to words and attitudes. It seems we are on guard to be on our best behavior everywhere we go and in front of others, but at home looks, answers and attitudes that are not perfect seem to fly from me! From the above verse, we are encouraged to walk within our own home with a perfect heart and behave wisely.

This is a constant reminder to me of how to behave. Now, because I know this, does not mean I do this. Far, far from it. I struggle with unkind words, bad manners, rudeness etc. It takes persistence to keep on aiming toward the mark of a perfect heart. To be the wife and mother I want to be means that I am engaged in an ongoing battle, daily choosing God's good over my selfish desires. Each time I fail in the wrong word or attitude instead of defeat, I can look to God for His help and strength. By seeking Him, sure enough little by little, these bad areas seem to get better. A gentle reminder from the Holy Spirit breathes renewed kindness into my heart which is extended to others. By continually choosing God's way over my own, this brings glory to God.

Persistence is a very difficult, but a very vital characteristic that is needed in every area of our life. Constantly we are bombarded by difficult people, difficult decisions, difficult situations. Many times we feel like just stopping, covering our heads under the covers and not coming back out! But that is not an option, the only direction we need to go is forward. Persistence is a step by step journey forward, overcoming one obstacle at a time. The best news is that God will provide the renewed strength we need during every one of those steps.

So, may we be encouraged to stride purposefully through each day, empowered with the strength and grace of God with persistent and overcoming attitudes that reflect the grace and glory of the Lord.