Just a Bit of Persistence

I know that we all know what persistence means, along with persistent and persist, but somehow the dictionary explains words more clearly than I can. The below definitions are pulled from Merriam-Webster’s dictionary.
Persistence:

1. The action or fact of persisting

2. The quality or state of being persistent; especially: perseverance

Persistent: adjective

1. Existing for a long or longer than usual time or continuously: as

a. Retained beyond the usual period

b. Continuing without change in function or structure

2. Continuing or inclined to persist in a course

3. Continuing to exist despite interference or treatment

Persist: intransitive verb

1. To go on resolutely or stubbornly in spite of opposition, importunity, or warning

2. To continue to exist especially past a usual, expected or normal time.

For the past little while I have been struggling –spiritually. To be transparent, I feel as if I have been going through a time of Job. A time in which I have lost all that has been important to me. Those things that I treasured and valued seemed to be ripped from my hand and now lay in ashes. Within my heart and soul, I knew that I would not turn my back on God but it seemed that no matter which way I turned I was being robbed of all that I held dear and I just didn’t see how I could take another step. Spiritually, I felt that I was at the place of Job 2:8 “And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.” I had reached a place of being spiritually empty and barren of all hope, faith and inspiration and all I felt like doing was sitting in the ashes of the emptiness and mourning the loss of the very things that caused me to get out of bed in the morning. What is life without hope? What is a day of breath without faith to see the salvation of the Lord? What is the point of living without inspiration from the Word of God? That is where I found myself recently and a dear friend gave me a CD that somehow caused the clouds to part and for the unseen kernel of hope to start to sprout once again. The CD was of William McDowell and the song is “I Won’t Go Back.” It talks about how I have been changed and delivered from that which I used to be and I will not go back. As I listened to the song, I realized that though, I felt bereft of all, I had so much more than I had before God changed me. Though I felt hopeless, I had more hope that I used to have. God had changed me so much over the past several years that even in this time of barrenness; I still knew that would not go back to the way it used to be. As I continued listening to this song over and over and over again, I knew that no matter what I had to endure, no matter how the adversary of my soul would try to dissuade me, I absolutely WOULD NOT GO BACK! Even though I felt hopeless, I would trust in His faithfulness. Even though I felt my faith to be at an all time low, I would remember his Word and Promises and consciously decide to believe.

So here I am still feeling weak in faith and hope but knowing that, with persistence, I will see Job 42 in my life. If I continue to be faithful, regardless of how I feel or the trials that come my way, God will bless my latter end. All it takes is a little persistence.