Day Fifteen
TENACITY
Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.
—THOMAS A. EDISON
Each practice you have studied so far tends to build upon its predecessor. By default, hope produces a people of tenacity and it is tenacity that escorts you into receiving God’s promises. Why, then, do there seem to be people who have hoped for a season, but instead of moving forward with tenacious faith, slipped back into hopelessness? The fire of tenacity was extinguished because of how they responded to adversity. This is where the rubber meets the road.
Thomas Edison rightly linked failure to those who gave up. Some of us mistakenly assume that to fail is to become a failure. This is not true. Others see opposition and adversity as some expression of failure. In other words, they had hope that God’s promise would come to pass, and instead of experiencing immediate fulfillment, they were hit with more intense pressure. They consider this “failure” because instead of their desired end (promise fulfilled), they experienced the exact opposite— hope deferred.
Is it any wonder that Scripture reminds us that “hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life” (Prov. 13:12 ESV)?
So the question is, “How does tenacity actually sustain hope, preventing my heart from getting sick?” Let me outline the process a little more, giving you some context for the relationship between hope and tenacity.
When you become more mindful of God’s promises than your problems, hope actually infuses you. It gets into you and has trouble getting out. Hope apprehends you, producing a burning desire to see what you are hoping for come to pass. However, as you are discovering, it is possible for someone to start with hope, become discouraged, and never see the promise fulfilled. How can this be? They did not understand the tenacity required to steward their hope. Did you get that? We steward and ultimately sustain hope in our lives by exercising tenacity.
With hope being so powerful, how can people who have been exposed to God’s promises end up falling short of receiving them? Show me a person who perseveres through adversity, and I will show you a person who receives the promises they’ve hoped for. The author of Hebrews writes, “We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised” (Heb. 6:12 NIV).
Jesus reminds us to ask—and then keep on asking. He instructs us to knock and continue knocking. Some read these words and assume that God needs our reminding or is hard of hearing. Not at all. More than just using repetitious words in prayer or embracing a begging spirit, Jesus is encouraging us to persevere. This is your vital key to experiencing the rich life. Some assume that prosperity or richness means the absence of adversity. Not a chance. The prosperous soul is not problem-free; it is hope-full and tenacious. The prosperous soul presses through difficulty—perseveres—and receives the promises of God.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
What is the relationship between hope and tenacity?
Describe the following statement: Tenacity sustains hope. How does having tenacity actually keep hope alive for you?
How have you personally responded to God’s promises in your life? Are there any that you gave up on because of adversity? Journal your thoughts below.
ACTION STEPS
The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you.
—ROMANS 8:11 NLT
I want to see hope sustained in your life. This comes by exercising tenacity. Perhaps you have embraced a perspective that assumes everything that happens in your life is by God’s divine design. This is a dangerous viewpoint, for it prevents us from persevering for God’s promises. If we believe everything that happens is because of God’s direct orchestration, we will not pray against what is happening for fear of challenging God’s sovereign plan.
Good news. God is sovereign! However, there is also an enemy. Jesus came to give you abundant life, while the thief is out to steal, kill, and destroy. He especially delights in destroying hope. Today, I am praying that the Spirit of God will invade your life in a powerful way—and resurrect a hope you may have given up on because of adversity.