Welcome to the final Five Minute Friday link-up of April 2023! If you’re new to the FMF community, you can learn more about the link-up here.
This week’s FMF writing prompt is: PERSIST
I wish I could remember where I saw it, but of course I can’t find it now. A few weeks ago when we were reading the Bible as a family in the evening, my eyes landed on a verse that included the theme of persistence. And it occurred to me in that moment, “That’s so much of what this Christian life is about, isn’t it?”
Persistence.Â
Perseverance. Keep on keeping on.
So much of life is just a slog, if we’re honest. Because of the fall, everything is just hard. Nothing is easy.
And yet we persist.
By the grace of God and with His Spirit and strength enabling us, we keep going. We do not give up.
Not by my own strength, that’s for sure . . . that ran out a lonnnnggg time ago. But He keeps me going . . . because there is nowhere else to go.
He alone holds the keys to eternal life.
So when the going gets tough, don’t just grind your teeth and try harder. That’s when it’s time to surrender and acknowledge weakness.
We can resist worldly mantras like, “You got this,” and “You’re strong enough” because we don’t and we’re not and we can’t. Not by ourselves. But with Him, all things are possible — even persisting and persevering through the most difficult of circumstances. He is able, and He is the One who holds us in the palm of His hand and has promised to carry us across the finish line and beyond.
“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” ~ Galatians 6:9
STOP.
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Join the link-up with your own five-minute freewrite, the visit your link-up neighbor to read their post and leave an encouraging comment:
Good points, Kate, but acknowledging weakness won’t work here, not now.
It seems cancer won’t desist,
and will give no respite,
so it’s my job to persist,
and never quit the fight.
The tumours in my leg and arm,
and those in neck and chest
are clearly meant to do me harm,
and so it’s for the best
that I give this thing all I’ve got,
and set example salutary
to show the world surrender’s not
a word in my vocabulary.
So bring it, cancer, bring the pain,
and do your worst…but I’ll remain.
Just under four minutes. Living the dream.
From Watership Down, by Richard Adams.
“All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a Thousand Enemies, and whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you…”
We sure need God’s strength to keep on keepin’ on. Can’t do it on our own.
Absolutely and persistently YES!