Perseverance…ain’t it fun!

Perseverance. We don’t really like to talk about this word because it implies something difficult is happening. I have never heard someone say they had to persevere one more week in Hawaii, or a few more days on the ski slopes. I have never heard a coworker upset they had five vacation days left over at the end of the year say, “Well, I guess I’ll be forced to take a few more days off next year. I just can’t believe my bad luck.” No, those things are good so we like them. We want them to last as long as possible. They make us comfy, and comfy is good, right?

Not necessarily. Comfy is not good if you’re comfortable in a place where God does not want you, and I speak from experience. Before working here at LifeWay, I was working for a small ministry in North Carolina. Our focus was youth curriculum and events. The events side was my main job as I handled 10 to 12 weeks of camps and 2 to 3 weekend conferences each year. I was surrounded by people that loved God and desired everyday to walk a little bit closer to Him. Going to work each day was truly exciting and fulfilling. I was working under a man that served as my mentor and friend. Life was great. Life was becoming comfy! Then one day during a business meeting, an out of the office on a golf course type meeting, everything changed. I found out the man that had been mentoring me and leading our ministry was leaving. This threw my whole world out of whack. Over the course of the next few months, the Lord taught me about perseverance. I spent six straight weeks on the road running camps. I missed my first Father’s Day being a father. I had this overwhelming feeling that at the end of the summer, I would be looking for a new job. This was a tough thought because I loved where I was so much. I loved the people I was serving with. Slowly, the Lord moved everyone into other areas of work. By the end of the summer it was apparent my time had come.

Looking back, the scriptures for this week really resonate with me. I felt like Isaac trying to do the right thing, pursuing God’s direction and being met with opposition at each step. From where I sit right now, I would have never seen this coming from my comfy world in North Carolina. If things there had remained so great, I am not sure I could have left. I truly believe the famine had to come to move me where God wanted me. During the famine, Isaac could have done so many different things and taken so many different routes, but he was dedicated to following the Lord. Several key areas stick out to me:

1. He lived what he saw exampled, and he had seen many things at this point in his life. He knew of his father leaving his country to pursue where God was leading. He had been tied to an altar and offered as a sacrifice to God. He witnessed his father, in the face of ridiculous odds, continually obey God. So it was natural for him to do the same. I am not saying it was easy, but it made sense. I too saw my father lose a job while I was growing up. I know the pain and difficulty it caused in his life and ours. I also know how he exemplified pursuing God in the midst of very difficult times. I know what it looked like to be a man and support your family during a famine. It was his example that helped me during my personal time of famine.
2. He battled through the opposition. Just when it seemed things were working out, the people began to turn on him. Isaac was sowing and reaping large harvests. His flocks were growing. God was blessing and the people hated him for it. Unfortunately, I have seen this as well. When my mentor and friend was offered a new job and another role serving in the kingdom, I would have thought everyone would have been happy for him. I learned, as he did, this was not the case. The people he thought would support and love him turned their backs. Through seeing how he handled things in a godly manner, I have seen the same principle Isaac learned first hand. It is unfortunate and painful, but not everyone will celebrate when you receive God’s blessings. The key is to not allow their envy and jealousy to distract you from what God is doing.
3. Isaac kept on digging. I am not quite sure what digging a well in that day looked like, but I am sure it was not easy. Isaac went through the process several times only to have someone claim it after he was done. Rather than fighting he simply left to dig again. In today’s world we are taught to stay and fight, but I hear God saying sometimes to just keep digging. Again, I have seen this firsthand in the past couple years. I have seen how to handle it properly and the blessings that come from it. The lessons are hard and our response may not seem logical, but we must remain faithful. Isaac had every right to fight over what his father had started and he had worked so hard for. But God wanted him to keep moving so he could see what He had in store.

I am sure you have a story of your own similar to mine, and I know this blog is a little longer than normal, but it is rare for me to have such strong ties to a story. Just talking back through things stirs up certain emotions and feelings. The famines of life are always difficult times, but when we remain faithful and seek God’s leading, even when it does not make sense, He will certainly lead us. Perseverance is not fun or enjoyable, but being in the middle of God’s blessing sure is.