How to Persevere in Tough Times
Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
- Romans 5: 3 - 5
When you think of perseverance, you might picture Olympic runners fighting to get to the finish line or someone pushing to finish that last rep at the gym. Despite all the practice and training that one goes through, when it comes to any challenge, usually perseverance is what gets us past the finish line. Perseverance is your ability to continue moving forward despite the physical and mental opposition and adversity that cuts through your path. In light of this, today we’ll be looking to scripture to learn how to persevere in tough times and find verses that can keep you motivated.
Looking at Perseverance In the Bible
Joseph is one of the best examples of perseverance in the Bible. The youngest son of Jacob, Joseph was the favorite of his brothers. You might have watched the animated movie based on his story Joseph: King of Dreams. His story is one of the most well-known from the Bible, and for good reason.
Sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, Joseph’s story is akin to an emotional rollercoaster as he’s placed in leadership in an Egyptian leader’s home, imprisoned, and then placed in leadership again. Even after being wrongly accused and imprisoned, Joseph remained so close to God that He consistently placed Joseph in a position of leadership and integrity.
Eventually, Joseph was so admired and loved by the Egyptians that he was placed as the Pharaoh's right-hand man. Towards the end of his story, he has a surprise encounter with the brothers who sold him into slavery. Talk about awkward.
But through all of this - being sold into slavery, accused and imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit, seven years of famine, and separation from his family - Joseph continued to persevere and look to God for his strength. And you can do it, too.
How to Persevere Through Tough Times
Because Faith in Recovery is a Christian drug rehabilitation center, our addiction services are centered on helping people recover from substance use disorders. And with recovery comes great perseverance, which is possible through faith in Jesus.
Jesus uses our struggles to develop our relationship with Him and our character. As Romans 5: 3 – 5 states, “suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope…” Just as doctors determine the areas of our health that need help, the struggles we experience pinpoint the weak areas of our faith.
With this in mind, remember that Jesus builds a strong house with us as the members, and we all have a room in His home. While His love is unconditional, the more you persevere and turn to Jesus in tough times, the more you experience and see His faithfulness and work in your life.
However, true commitment to Jesus – and goals like getting and staying sober – are demonstrated through persevering for the long haul. So we encourage you to persevere and set your sights on Him.
Bible Verses About Perseverance
Turn to scripture to continue learning how to persevere in tough times. If you’re not sure where to begin, here are some verses to note:
- Galatians 6:9
- Philippians 3:13-14
- Hebrews 3:14
- Hebrews 12:2
- Matthew 10:22
- James 1:2-4
- Philippians 1:6
- Psalm 86:11
