Persevering

 Instant gratification is a dangerous thing. Not only is it myopic, not taking into account tomorrow or the day after, it is likewise reckless because it does not consider anything beyond the moment, the now, that instant wherein you want it, you get it, and consequences be damned. It doesn’t matter what the thing is, whether it is a new car, a new purse, a trip, a belt, or a new pair of shoes; being impulsive is such a common trait that grocery stores have impulse buy racks stationed right at checkout.

You may have run the gauntlet, kept from buying the things you knew you shouldn’t, and that last few yards is where they get you. Candy bars, gum, magazines, whatever can grab your attention as you’re getting ready to abscond and get you to spend an extra few bucks even though you never planned on it, and it wasn’t a necessary thing.

You’re only safe once you’re out of the store, in your car, key in the engine, or finger on the start button, because until then, there’s always a possibility that you might relent, give in, and fall into the snare of the limited time white chocolate king sized Twix.

Vigilance is something we must all possess, and vigilance coupled with patience will carry you further than you ever thought you could go.

It is said that most car accidents happen within five miles of one’s home. Although the answer to that is that most people don’t venture past five miles from home anymore nowadays, I’ve taken long trips often enough to know that it’s those last few miles that your guard goes down. In your mind’s eye, you’re already on your couch, kicking off your shoes and breathing a sigh of relief that you made it safe and sound.

It’s during that last stretch, those last few turns, that people stop being as vigilant as they were; perhaps they punch the gas a bit more than they ought to because they just want to get it over with, and the statistics prove themselves true because numbers don’t lie.

It doesn’t take much looking to see what’s happening in today’s world. The evil prosper, those who bring no value to humanity are raking in millions simply by turning on a camera and being shameless, justice is perverted, truth is muted, goodness is maligned, and sin is promoted. You can avert your gaze or focus on something else, but it’s unavoidable. The only way for anyone not to see it is to deny reality, and that’s becoming ever more popular nowadays as well. We know what this world has become, what it has been for long and long, but now, with seven billion people being one click away, it’s more evident and brazen than ever before.

Men’s hearts have always been dark, but with the advent of the internet and a few billion more people walking around, it seems as though we are reaching a crescendo of evil and insanity. Through it all, James instructs us to stay the course. He admonishes us to keep our eyes on the prize and not be distracted.

James 5:7-8, “Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”

I know that saying we should have an attitude of gratitude is catchier because it rhymes, and yes, we should be grateful to God for all that He is, all that He does, and all that He promised He would do, but an attitude of patience is likewise warranted during the days we’re living in, not until we get frustrated or we feel as though we’ve been patient enough, but until the coming of the Lord.

That’s our goal. That’s our finish line to see the return of the Lord and to establish our hearts that no matter what may come upon the earth, no matter what we might have to endure, He would find us as the five wise virgins, awake, waiting, anticipating His return with our lamps lit and burning. Everything else takes a backseat to that singular goal. Our plans, our vision, noble as they might be, must all be subject to the sovereignty of God at all times.

Proverbs 16:1-3, “The preparations of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. All the ways of man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirits. Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established.”

When we establish our hearts, we achieve permanent acceptance of something. It’s settled, and there’s no going back. It’s not transitory or situational; we don’t establish our hearts only when it’s convenient or when His plans align with ours. There is consistency and continuity in our endeavors, and although James counsels us to establish our hearts, Proverbs tells us how we go about it. We do so by committing our works to the Lord. In everything, in every area of our life, we commit our works to the Lord, thereby establishing our thoughts and hearts.

As Paul reminds the Corinthians, we were bought with a price, meaning we are no longer our own. We can no longer live as we will, pursue what we will, and plan as our hearts dictate. Because we were bought with a price, and the price we were bought with was the blood of Jesus, we must glorify God in our bodies and in our spirit because they are God’s.

When we focus on glorifying God rather than on the things of this world, we are not affected by the ebbs and flows of life. Our destination is set, our hearts and thoughts are established, and we persevere and endure no matter how hard or easy the road gets. If it’s hard, we know it will get easier one day. If it’s easy, we know that difficulty is only a matter of time, so we don’t oscillate from one extreme to another. We remain steadfast and surefooted, knowing He is there.

With love in Christ,

Michael Boldea, Jr.