A Father's LegacySample

Pillar 6: Perseverance

In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul writes, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize” (1 Corinthians 9:24). If we are to get the prize, then we have to run like we mean business. Giving up on small obstacles will get us nowhere, but if we persevere, keep our eyes on the goal, and keep running, we can experience that elusive place where success and purpose become one.

Unfortunately, many times we give up just when we should persevere a little bit longer. Paul encourages us, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9). While some of God’s promises are unconditional, many of them give a clear condition that we have to meet. Our side of the deal in this verse is to “not give up.”

Hardship is a part of life. We can wish it were otherwise, but the reality is that we all will face trials in this life. This is why Paul writes in 2 Timothy 2:3–4, “Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer.” To leave a legacy, we must endure hardship.

Paul uses the metaphor of the Christian as a soldier who is single-minded in his purpose and does not allow himself to get “entangled” with civilian matters. He is wholly focused on his mission and the battle at hand. Legacy-minded men need that same single-minded focus so that they are able to persevere during hardship.

Perseverance will see you through. Many times the first impulse is to quit and succumb, but perseverance gets you to the other side of that difficulty.

Think About It:

Do you still regret something you quit?

Are there things now you're tempted to give up on?

Not giving up sounds great but what are practical steps to keep going?

Legacy Lifter:

Non-enduring tools fail under pressure, but God has formed you as a tool that he can use in difficult situations that will get the job done and bless others.