One winter's day I had to go to Shoprite in the plaza near my house to get a transpass for school. It was freezing outside, with snow piles taller than me every few feet, and patches of ice everywhere. And that was the most dangerous part, the ice. It was slippery, it was tough, and I was never more scared of falling and busting my butt than that day. My brothers, who decided to tag along were joking and playing ahead of me while I inched along, eyes on the ground and fist clenched in my pocket, taking baby steps across what suddenly felt like a Sahara desert of a parking lot.
Just as I'm telling them I'm going to turn myself around and deal with this mess tomorrow morning, both boys grab my arms. "No Alex, come on." Johnny says, scowling at me. "We have to per sa veer." Carl says. And they start pulling me along, saying "per sa veer" in the most annoying way, laughing all the while I'm freaking out with this ice all around me. Every time I halt trying to make sure I'm not stepping on ice they just drag me along. I don't know how we made it to Shoprite in one piece, but thank God we did. I was pissed at them for the rest of the day even though they just laughed at me, saying at least we got what we'd came for.
Looking back on that day now I realize that persevering is as much a part of what it means to be a Christian as anything else. It's part of faith: believing even when you don't see' (Hebrews 11 vs. 1) especially when that answer you're waiting for is taking it's sweet old time. It's part of obeying: 'not becoming weary in doing good, for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest, if we do not give up' (Galatians 6 vs. 9. ) It comes with blessing too, proving that if you just keep at it you'll be 'blessed for persevering under trial, because when you have stood the test, you will receive the crown of life that God has promised...' (James 1 vs.12)
It's best to keep this in mind :
"Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us"
-Romans 5 vs. 3-5
So no matter what you may go through, remember to 'per se veer' because....
