PERSISTENCE IS A VIRTUE
Have you ever seen a man trying to fell a tree? He keeps hitting with the axe until the tree falls. It is not the last hit of the axe that cuts the tree. The tree fell due to the impact of all the hits of the axe. The first hit was as useful as the last one. If he had stopped midway, the tree would remain standing. There was the story of a man contracted to dig a well for certain sum to get water. He dug and dug till he was tired. After a while, he quit, saying the well would not yield water.
Another man took up the job. After a few days, he found water! It is the same story with life. You have to be consistent. You keep on until you hit your target. The law of persistence says don’t give up. Keep on keeping on until your goals are achieved. In Genesis 26, Isaac started digging a well.
And Isaac’s servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water. And the herdsmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, The water is ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him. And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he called the name of it Sitnah. And he removed from thence, and digged another well; and for that they strove not: and he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, For now the LORD hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land. Genesis 26:19-22.
While he was digging, the enemy did not show up. But when he found water, they laid claims saying “the water is ours”. He dug another; they claimed that as well. He kept on digging until he “outdigged” his adversaries. The enemy was wearied out and they troubled him no more.
Beloved, don’t give up. Keep up. Keep on holding on. Do more. Be consistent. Be persistent. Opposition may arise, don’t give up. The times and process may be tough, don’t give up. Like Isaac, if you don’t quit, you will get to your Rehoboth. If you stop along the way, you miss the success. Only victors sing. As Robert Schuler says “tough times don’t last but tough people do”. Get up. Get going: The target is nearer than when you started. MEDITATION: If you don’t give up, you shall get up.
