The Power of Perseverance (1)

‘Let us not grow weary while doing good...’ Galatians 6:9 NKJV

One of the great themes of the Bible is—perseverance. Paul, who refused to quit, wrote: ‘Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.’ Ralph Waldo Emerson said, ‘The great majority of men are bundles of beginnings.’ Are you merely a starter, or are you also a finisher? When the enthusiasm for a new idea fades, when the odds against you increase and the results diminish, when it looks as if success is impossible, you must keep forging ahead. Admiral Robert Peary attempted to reach the North Pole seven times before he finally succeeded. Oscar Hammerstein produced five shows on Broadway that were flops before staging Oklahoma, which was seen by almost five million people during a record–breaking run of 2212 performances. Quitting is more about who you are, than where you are or what you’re up against. We all have our excuses. The truth is, external things don’t stop us; it’s what happens to us on the inside! Most of us stop ourselves from reaching our potential. We can pretend that people, things and situations outside of ourselves are to blame, but in reality most failures are just the result of a lack of bulldog–like tenacity. Leonardo da Vinci said, ‘Obstacles cannot crush me. Every obstacle yields to stern resolve. He who is fixed to a star, does not change his mind.’ You must have a mindset to tenaciously pursue your dream. The only guarantee for failure is to stop trying. There is no insurmountable barrier, except your own inherent lack of purpose and persistence.