Perseverance. Just by reading that word, what images come to heart and mind?
What people? What stories? What emotions? What results?
Perseverance Is Preceded by Vision
When I think of perseverance, I think of visionaries such as Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King, Jr., William Wilberforce.
When I think of perseverance, I think of people with dreams who press on and on and on until their dreams are fulfilled–or their life is cut short fulfilling them.
When I think of perseverance, I think of people who believe in a better future for themselves and others and who are willing to do whatever it takes to convert their dreams into reality.
When I think of perseverance, I think of love.
Perseverance is Fueled by Determination
Conjure up the image of Jacob wrestling with God and you have a classic example of determination producing perseverance producing success. Jacob declared:
“I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.” Genesis 32:26
He wasn’t about to give in. He wasn’t about to give up. Rather, he was determined to obtain the Lord’s favor. Though it took him all night and cost him a hip…
- Jacob was determined to persevere.
- Jacob was determined to succeed.
What about you?
Are you determined to persevere despite past and current circumstances?
Do you believe in the beauty of your dreams?
Consider Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Edison, and “I didn’t fail the test, I just found 100 ways to do it wrong” Benjamin Franklin to name a few.
- Men of vision. Men of dreams.
- Men of dogged determination and perseverance who didn’t let setbacks set them back for long.
- Men who set their sights on success and achieved it.
What drove them to persevere irrespective of the challenges they faced?
I think it was faith. I think it was love. I think they believed in the beauty of their dreams.
Perseverance is Vital to Success
So how do we persevere as business owners?
How do we equip ourselves for success? For starters:
- We affirm our true purpose.
- We affirm God’s presence, guidance, and assistance.
- We affirm our divine destiny to succeed.
- We remember how God has helped us in the past.
- We remember the visionaries who have made a difference in the world.
- We remember the beauty of our dreams.
The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want….
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life.
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 23:1,6
What is your dream? What is your vision?
Are you determined to persevere?
May we have what it takes to be truly successful.
May we dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Photos by Vinoth Chandar and Pink Sherbet Photography @ UseChisel.com
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