So much can come against us as we serve the Lord. How are we supposed to persevere? To be sure, some people will outwardly keep going by sheer will, perhaps feeling too guilty or ashamed to quit. But, inwardly they’ve given in to the frustration and despair. God, however, wants so much more for us as His servants. He instructs us, “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” (Rom. 12:11-12).
To Persevere in Serving We Need the Right Source to Sustain and Strengthen Us
Only an eternal, omnipresent God will always be there. Only a great and almighty God will be strong enough to uphold and deliver us. Only a faithful God will stay true to us, even when we’re faithless (2 Tim. 2:13). Only a holy God can be trusted to be right all the time. Only a sovereign, omniscient God can give us the perspective we need.
- Because God is . . .
- Studying the Character of God Helps Us in Ministry
- Tapping into the Riches of God’s Knowledge
We can look at Moses of the Old Testament for an example. God called him to lead an impatient and stubborn group of people through the harsh conditions of a wilderness journey. Though wanting to give up on numerous occasions, we read that “he persevered because he saw him who is invisible” (Heb. 11:27). This is the kind of faith we need to persevere, not one that looks only at what we can see but one that focuses on our invisible yet very powerful and compassionate God.
The Ministry God’s Way Discipleship Tool lists four points about looking to God for what we need in order to persevere. That resource covers nine key elements to doing ministry God’s way, with ministry perseverance being one of those elements.