“Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;” Romans 12:12
George Washington once said, “Perseverance and spirit have done wonders in all ages.” Perseverance is the “stick-to-it” attitude; the “keep on keeping on” philosophy; the “never give up” way of thinking. However, persevering in difficult times is challenging. Opposition can be formidable, and hope can seem a distinct and remote flicker, but those who persevere in the Lord will be rewarded. Galatians 6:9 states, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”
Sometimes, however, we feel like we just can’t go on. It is then that we must rely on the strength of the Lord. The Bible reminds us that “The LORD is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.” (Psalm 28:8) He is “… our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1) In Isaiah 55:6, His Word tells us, “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:” When we draw near to God, He draws near to us (James 4:8), and He provides the strength we need to persevere through any situation, whether it be big or small. There is nothing too trivial for God. When He said to cast all our cares upon Him, He didn’t include, “but only the big things.” It is through God’s strength that the victory becomes ours. (Exodus 15:2)
Because we know that God is with us and victory is assured, we can rejoice in that hope! The Bible states in 1 Corinthians 15:57, “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Even before we see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel, we can rejoice knowing that God will give us exactly what we need to prevail. Therein lies our hope! “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.” (Romans 15:13) No matter what lies ahead, God will see us through if we call upon Him, and we call upon Him through prayer.
Prayer is the key to unlocking the strength of God in our lives. Prayer is our lifeline. It connects us to God, our Creator and our Father. It is through Him alone that we can find the ability to persevere and the hope that we so desperately seek. We must make all our requests known to God (Philippians 4:6); we must believe God hears and answers prayer (Matthew 21:22), and we must pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). There is no higher honor than being able to communicate with God.
The Bible says we can come boldly before His throne. How can that be? Because when Jesus died and rose again, the temple veil tore in half from top to bottom in the temple revealing the area known as the Holy of Holies… the place where God was, and the place where only the high priest could enter. The torn veil symbolically demonstrated that access to the Lord was now available to all! God desires to hear from us. His arms are open wide, and He waits for us to come to Him. Why? Because He loves us with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3), and He wants no one to perish. (2 Peter 3:9) He wants to have a personal relationship with each one of us, and that relationship is just a prayer away.
If you have never asked Christ to forgive your sins and become your Saviour, you can do that right now. If you believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross and rose from the dead to become the world’s Saviour, simply bow your head and pray to Him. Admit you are a sinner who needs to be forgiven, and then ask Him to forgive you of those sins and come into your life as your Lord and Saviour. He’s waiting to hear from you!
My hope is in the Lord who gave Himself for me
And paid the price of all my sin at Calvary.
For me He died; for me He lives,
And everlasting life and light He freely gives.
His grace has planned it all, ‘Tis mine but to believe
And recognize His work of love and Christ receive.
For me He died; for me He lives,
And everlasting life and light He freely gives.
(from “My Hope is in the Lord” by Norman J. Clayton)
“By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Romans 5:2
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A personal relationship with Jesus Christ is the only one that will cause you to persevere through the trials of today and rejoice in the hope of tomorrow.