Perseverance & Integrity

In my last post which hinged from my 2011 year in review, I combined Staying true to God, family, & yourself with priorities...because I think the main way we can stay true to those important beings is by having our priorities straight.


In this post I am combining 'perseverance is painfully necessary' with 'doing what is right even when you don't feel like it'. The two are highly relatable!


I like to think of persevering as patience in practice or persisting with patience. Persevering is persisting in anything undertaken. Maintaining a purpose in spite of difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement; continuing steadfastly, having a good & positive attitude while waiting; Enduring when the going gets tough; Continuing on, lasting, keeping on, carrying on through the hard times; Bearing difficulties bravely; Trying again and again.; Perseverance is a day by day decision not to give up.


"Victory belongs to the most persevering". -Napoleon Bonaparte


"To persevere, trusting in what hopes he has, is courage to a man". -Euripides                                       


"You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don't try". -Beverly Sills              


Proverbs 24:16 For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again.


Ecclesiastes 9:11 ". . . The race is not [always] to the swift, nor the battle to the strong"


"Having chosen our course, without guile and with pure purpose, let us renew our trust in God, and go forward without fear and with manly hearts." -Abraham Lincoln 


"Defeat is simply a signal to press onward." -Helen Keller 


Isaiah 41:10 "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand".


We have no reason NOT to endure! God goes with us! Perseverance begins or ends in the mind of the one who struggles. You hold the power and will to keep going! When you can try no more...try again! 


Matthew 10:22 and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

Romans 5:3-4 More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope

Galatians 6:9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Philippians 1:6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

1 Timothy 4:16 Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Hebrews 10:36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us

James 5:11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

2 Peter 1:5-7 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

Revelation 2:2 I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false.

Battles are fought in our minds every day. When we begin to feel the battle is just too difficult and want to give up, we must choose to resist negative thoughts and be determined to rise above our problems. We must decide that we’re not going to quit. When we’re bombarded with doubts and fears, we must take a stand and say: “I’ll never give up! God’s on my side. He loves me, and He’s helping me! I’m going to make it! - Joyce Meyer

God knows our situation; He will not judge us as if we had no difficulties to overcome. What matters is the sincerity and perseverance of our will to overcome them. -C.S. Lewis

We all want progress, but if you’re on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive. -C.S. Lewis

What saves a man is to take a step. Then another step. -C.S. Lewis

Be DETERMINED to practice patience and endure the painful waiting process. Be determined to carry on in times of trouble.

Put a smile on your face and keep on keeping on.

"When you reach the end of your rope, tie a not in it and hang on" -Thomas Jefferson

...

That old law about ‘an eye for an eye’ leaves everybody blind. The time is always right to do the right thing. -Martin Luther King, Jr

Doing what's right is to act honestly and with integrity. If you are a man or woman of integrity you adhere to moral principles and your actions are wholesome. 

In times of trouble and frustration, seek to do what's right. In every given situation, wherever you are, whatever you are facing, ask yourself what the right thing to do is. Then do it. Choose what's right even if you don't feel like it. Eventually your inner attitude will match the outer one.

Don't act out of anger or pride. Don't act out of insecurity or jealousy. If we have integrity we're not corrupt and strive to not be hypocritical. 

A person of integrity is not impulsive, nor do they justify their behavior.


The integrity of the honest keeps them on track; the deviousness of crooks brings them to ruin -Proverbs 11:3

A person of integrity is a person of their word and is trustworthy.


A gadabout gossip can't be trusted with a secret, but someone of integrity won't violate a confidence - Proverbs 11:13


The reason integrity/doing what's right & perseverance go hand in hand so well is that many times our efforts are in vain, or seem in vain. But we must keep going. Persevere in what's right! Be persistent in doing the things that are good and noble! Even when you feel like it doesn't matter, continue on the straight & narrow path...