Pause
Staying after it. Not giving up. Being stubborn.
Persistence. It's hard to say just where this characteristic comes from, but in the life of faith we can say that, when we do not give up on matters of righteousness, persistence has its source in God.
That is because there is none so persistent, so faithful as this One we follow. Make it your intent, just in these next few moments, to be focused on listening for God.
Listen
In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I solemnly urge you: proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching.
2 Timothy 4:1-2
Think
Each day, I try my best to represent the message that God gave to the world through Jesus, which is one of infinite love. But I have bad days. I have bad faith days much like bad hair days, when I want to hide away this message like I would hide my hair under a hat.
One day at my job, I forgot to do a very important duty. I ended up being late to work, and when I showed up a group of people were witnesses to my dropping the ball, my bad faith day. I just wanted to hide. I felt shame. In that moment, I didn’t want to proclaim the message of love to these people and I didn’t. I just came in and sat silently and proclaimed a message of self-defeat and shame.
I forgot that, even on bad days, God wants me to persist in proclaiming his message and not my current feelings. Feelings are important, but not when they speak something that is untrue of God.
Patrick Kangrga
Pray
God, today my prayer is a simple one. If today is a bad day, give me the wisdom and the faith to know that a bad day is not the end of the world. Whether I want to hide my hair or hide the message of love that you gave to the world, help me to persist in proclaiming your love to all the people I encounter. Help me to persist in proclaiming your love and, in the process, learn to accept your love on my worst days and every day. Amen.
Go
Offer praise to God our Savior because of our Lord Jesus Christ! Only God can keep you from falling and make you pure and joyful in his glorious presence. Before time began and now and forevermore, God is worthy of glory, honor, power, and authority. Amen.
Jude 1:24-25 (The Contemporary English Version)
