As the Kansas winter blustered through my yard, I noticed a unique snapshot of the season.
Although all the other leaves had already let loose and dropped to the ground, one leaf still hung on.
In spite of the wind, the calendar day and its length of life – a lone leaf clung tightly to the branch that had given it life.
It didn’t take long to wrap my heart around the analogy and honor thousands of saints who continue to cling tightly to their true source of life.
They persevere in spite of the calendar days that scream, “You should have given up already.”
They hang on in spite of the circumstances of life or the opinions of others or even of well-meaning friends who speak cruelty.
These are people who inspire me to persevere as well:
- The single mom who drives her children to church even though she has been shunned because she’s divorced
- The writer who revises the same manuscript seven times until every word is as good as it can possibly be – then ignores another rejection to revise it again
- The cancer patient who refuses to be a victim but spends her time during brutal radiation treatments, praying through her list of friends and family
- The nonprofit organizations who operate on a financial shoestring and trust God to provide resources each and every day
- The missionaries who continue to serve even when their prayers don’t merge with the answers they long to see
Persevering folks who keep hanging on to hope even when everything in life attacks them.
Brave and vulnerable caregivers who keep serving even when the days are 36 hours long.
Mothers who keep praying for their prodigals. Fathers who work jobs they hate so their children won’t go hungry. Christians who refuse to deny Christ even though faced with the wrath of a radical Muslim sect.
The power of those who persevere is modeled at the end of Hebrews 11 – saints who refused to be released from torturous prisons, faced rejection and persecution, were destitute and mistreated. They did not receive what they were promised but they hung on anyway. They persevered and “the world was not worthy of them.”
What is required to continue in hope when everyone else has let loose and fallen around us?
Courage and the grace to keep hanging on to the One who empowers us with resurrection life.
©2015 RJ Thesman – Author of the Reverend G books http://amzn.to/1rXlCyh
well said friend. thank you for this post. hanging on here.
I am proud to know you – another persevering saint!
Struck a chord with me. Thinking of my sister who held on smiling through the pain until God called her home. Thinking of myself revising again and again to get it right. Thinking of my brother who hangs on with his bipolar as best he can and defies the negative voices when they attack and belittle him.
Amyxx
Lots of courage in your family, Amy. I am proud to know you!
Very good analogy. Thank you for the insight, Rebecca. Blessings upon you.
Thank you! And thanks for your persevering prayers.
A wonderful reminder, Rebecca, of the worthy development of tenacity. And of celebrating the many who model it for us.
Thanks, Jerry – and you are one of those persevering saints who models faith.
Reblogged this on Alice B Carlson and commented:
This blog by my friend really spoke to me tonight. It made me think of my mom who persevered through her battle with ALS. It also made me think about that time as a caregiver when I kept on even though someitmes I din’t feel like I had hope. God always provided me the hope I needed. This year has been a tough year for so many people. So many of our family and frineds have sufferred illness and death of loved ones. It’s been a hard year to live through, but God has continued to give us hope – through friends, through our granddaughter and through our children. I pray that 2016 will be a blessed year for you, and that God will use this blog to bring hope to your life.
Thank you, Alice, for your encouraging words and for sharing this post with your network. You, too, are a wonderful example of a persevering saint. May your 2016 be abundantly blessed.