Much of human happiness comes through accompliment. For instant, if you decide to learn to play keyboard and keep at it until you can, then you get enjoyment from it. But if you quit soon after starting you never get that pleasure and satisfaction. The same is time of any understanding that requires picture and adequate training, covering a period of time.

However, in the matter of sticking with a project until it is finished, there are certain tendencies we all have to outgrow or overcome.

PROBLEM INVOLVED

As you know, little children have very short attention span. Even in play it isn’t long before they are easily distracted or lose interest. But a person grows, power f concentration develop. You may have noted that in yourself. To a large degree you have no cultivate this quality, but it’s surely worth it because it helps you to get so much more out of life.

To concentrate means that you have to overcome another common trait. That is impatient. Think back to when you were a small child. It’s you remember, little children always want things NEW! Often when they try to do something and do not succeed after a few attempts, they are ready to quit. Well, you probably know many teenage who are still like that. But if you appreciate that some of the most worthwhile things in life take time and effort, it will help you not to give up easily.

In some cases the wise thing to do is not to finish what you start. How so? Because perhaps it was a bad idea from the beginning, the goal may be a wrong one, one that is out of harmony with right principles. Or, it may not be a good and for you, is it worth the time and effort that it will take to reach it? Do you have good reason to believe you can reach it? Do you have good reason to believe you can reach it?

Jesus told of the man who act out to build a tower without first figuring out the cost and whether he can meet it or not. As Jesus said, “For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?  Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.” (Luke 14:28-30) so, if you want to finish what you start, count the cost before hand.

Weigh advantages against disadvantages. Ask God first in prayer and others for counsel their opinion, especially your spiritual guardian and your parents. Benefits from their experience; they have made mistakes and can steer you away from these. The Bible is an outstanding source of wise and procitcal counsel. It is from God Almighty and it sets forth lesson learn by people over a spain of thousands of years. For example, king Solomon did about all a man can do in the way of seeking pleasure in purely material things. He tells the result: it was just a “  I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me: I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts. So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.  Eccl 2:3-11.

AVOID BECOMING QUITTER

Once you are convince that your goal is really worth while planning how to reach it is also vital. Worthwhile, planning how to reach it is also vital. Many young person fail to finish what they stat because they becomes discouraged. Some unforeseen problems or obstacles may spring up. Or they find that what they understook to do is harder than what they thought it would be. What now?

Such a situation reveals what you are really made of. If you let hardships fill you with negative and pessimistic thoughts, this will rob you of the strength to go on. It is just as the Bible proverb says: “If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.” (Proverbs 24:10). You have to shown yourself discourage in the days of the stress and your power will be scanty.  So instead, look on the situation as a challenge. Rise to meet it with extra effort, extra thought, energy and time. Challenges can make life interesting if you do not run away from them. By overcoming, you grow in confidence and resourcefulness. You can then undertake future tasks with greater assurance and enjoyment.

So avoid developing the habit of quitting lust because the going gets hard. Otherwise, the next time things get difficult, the tendency will be to do the same, to “throw in the towel,” to quit. By not letting this habit get a start you can keep your life from beginning just a series of failures and unfinished projects.

If you prove that you are not one who gives up easily, not a quitter or a dropout, you will earn the confidence and respect of others. While yet a young man, the early Christian Timothy was “was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. “ (Acts 16:2). That is why the apostle paul selected him as a traveling companion. Timothy had unique privileges, going with the apostle throughout many parts of the Roman Empire. After about a dozen years of faithful service, sometimes in dangerous situations, he was entrusted with weighty responsibility, which he carried out despite not having the best of health. Yes, Timothy could be relied on to stay with his assignment and do thorough work. He was a man to be trusted. But it took time and perseverance to merit that trust.

BASIS FOR PERSEVERANCE

If you are seeking to do something because it is right or out of a desire to please God, then He will help you to see it through. Consider Noah,  for example, the Ark that he and his sons built was a three – stories chest like structure over four hundred feet (122 meter) long. It was so “weekend project.” But because he saw the work through to its finish, Noah and his family survived the deluge and we, his descendants are alive today.

Again, consider the apostle Paul. He was a real example of one who did not give up when matter got difficult. To him particular assignment of service was worth enduring all manner of hardship for in order to retain it to its finish. He was willing to undergo beatings, stoning, imprisonment, hard labor, sleepless nights, thirsty, hunger, cold and lack of clothing, dangers from enemies of thee truth and from common criminals, also from wild beasts and the forces of nature as he traveled over land and sea. Because he was not a quitter, he could truthfully say he had “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” on what basis? Not because of self – confidence, but as Paul himself said: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” And he also wrote: (2 Timothy 4: 6 – 8; Phil. 4:13; Rom. 8: 35 – 39) wouldn’t you say he was a person worth imitating?

To enjoy life you must also be able to get on well with others, get their cooperation and with their respect. You cannot do this if you are quit to “give up” on people, starting friendships and then dropping them at the first sign of discouragement. Do you sometimes handle your relations with others poorly, so that this causes you to “give up” on yourself? Then why be quick to get irritated or lose interest in others because they may sometimes disappoint you? Take the time needed to work out problems with patience. Who cannot see the wisdom of proverb: “He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.” —- Proverbs 14:29

The rewards of perseverance are many and well worth the effort. By proving yourself a person who see things through to the finish, you gain many privileges and benefits. Jesus said of those following Him: “but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saves.” As believers, we are in a race. The grand prize is everlasting life. You will gain that prize only if you develop the ability to preserver in the spirit of problems or hardships and see things through.

BRAIN TEST

1. In order to have the satisfaction that comes with accomplishment, what is required of you?
2. What can help a person to overcome impatience?
3. Before you ever start a project, what is it wise to do? Whose counsel could benefits you in deciding?
4. Under what circumstances might it be better not to finish what you have stated?
5. Once you have selected a goal, why is it good to plan how you are going to reach it?
6. When you encounter problems, how should these be viewed?
7. Why is it important not to get in the habit of being a quitter? (Lk. 9: 62)
8. How have we benefits from Noah’s perseverance in building the ark?
9. What can we learn from Apostle Paul’s example of perseverance? (2 Timothy 4: 16 – 17)
10. Why do we all need to be able to get along well with others people?
11. What will help us to avoid being quick to “give up” on others when they disappoint us?
12. How is our developing perseverance involved in our getting the fulfillment of our Christian hope?

Getting the best out of your dusting life on earth shalom!