It takes a
special person to participate in, much less win, such contests. But in a sense,
we’re all involved in an endurance race – we call it everyday life. It’s
interesting how differently people view this. You’ve probably seen the bumper
sticker that says, “Life is tough. And then you die.” That’s how life seems
sometimes, isn’t it?
What keeps us
going? What should keep us going? A while
ago I heard an interesting distinction between endurance – and perseverance.
Endurance, the speaker pointed out, can mean just hanging on, trying to
survive. Perseverance, on the other hand, involves more than that: It’s
maintaining a singular focus and refusing to become distracted by extraneous
matters.
Perhaps that’s why
some people excel and succeed, while others wallow in mediocrity. The person settling
for endurance is like someone aboard a boat that sinks and clinging desperately
to a life preserver, hoping someone will come to his rescue. A person in this same
situation who perseveres, however, doesn’t get distracted by sharks or the
surrounding waves; she tries to find a solution, rather than waiting for the
solution to find her.
The innovator that
perseveres pursues the dream and refuses to accept failure as permanent. After
several attempts that fail, this person simply concludes, “Now we know ways
this won’t work. So we’ll try something else.”
A person faced
with a physical disability could simply endure, dwelling on his or her
limitations. Or they can take a different approach, focusing on capabilities not
restricted by their disabilities. That’s why people like violinist Itzhak
Perlman, acclaimed tenor Andrea Bocelli, and author-speaker-artist Joni
Eareckson Tada are so inspirational. They refused to let polio, blindness or paralysis
prevent them from discovering and refining their gifts.
And nearly 50
years after her death, Helen Keller, who overcame both blindness and deafness
to earn a college degree and become a noted author, political activist and
lecturer, remains a classic example of perseverance.
Advancing from
mere endurance to perseverance to attain success isn’t a virtue meant only for
extraordinary individuals. It also applies to the entrepreneur, schoolteacher,
scientist, small business owner, aspiring athlete, inventor, and virtually any
other field of endeavor.
Years ago my
friend Mike was blindsided by a legal crisis that virtually consumed 18 months
of his life. He could have curled up into a fetal position of self-pity, reasoning
that his circumstances were grossly unfair. Instead, he persevered through this
difficult time, gaining priceless life lessons in the process. He’s currently
finishing a book to share what he learned.
But how can we
persevere when it seems the best we can do is simply endure? “Gutting it out,”
as they say. We can call upon resources beyond ourselves. The apostle Paul, no
stranger to hardships, wrote, “I can do
all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).
His experiences
also enabled him to write with confidence, “…we
also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces
perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Romans 5:3-4).
Paul maintained a singular focus – to fulfill the calling God had given him.
And he refused to be distracted, even by persecution and numerous hardships.
Citing Romans
8:37, Oswald Chambers expressed it well: “The things we try to avoid and fight
against – tribulation, suffering, and persecution – are the very things that
produce abundant joy in us. ‘We are more
than conquerors through Him (Jesus Christ)’ in all these things; not in
spite of them, but in the midst of them.” So, shall we just endure – or
will we persevere? Which we choose could make a great difference.
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