Perseverance...

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

The Apostle Paul was a man who understood what was to persevere. When he says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." he understood what it was to look to Jesus for the strength to make it through! Too often we are ready to cancel something out if we face any kind of resistance or struggle. We begin to believe that we're out of God's will or we've missed God's will altogether, or maybe we even begin to believe God is moving us on to something else. Paul had been whipped, beaten, left for dead, shipwrecked, without food and shelter; he went through some very difficult times to do what Jesus had called him to do, times that would have convinced most Christians that God "wasn't in it". But, Paul understood God was not going to change His mind and that just because things were hard didn't mean God "wasn't in it". God was indeed in all He had called Paul to do! When God calls us to do something, it doesn't mean it'll be easy, and doesn't mean we won't face failures or setbacks! What it does mean, is that if we will persevere, as the Apostle Paul did, we will find also that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us!

"Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them." 2 Timothy 3:12-14