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Grace and Peace!
Perseverance. This is a word we have heard time and time again, learning from a young age that it is through perseverance we can achieve our goals. Looking at the success stories of CEO’s, Olympians, world-renowned doctors and more, there is one common quality-- perseverance. By persevering through times of discouragement and failure, they were able to prosper in their pursuit of success.
Now, if they are able to succeed in their earthly endeavors through perseverance, how much more will God be willing to prosper us in our spiritual endeavors through perseverance. Let’s take a look at an example from the Gospel of Mark in the passage called The Healing of Blind Bartimaeus.
When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Mark 10:47-48
Looking at the life of Bartimaeus, we see how miserable he is. His whole life is defined by the disability he has and there seems to be no escape. To find Bartimaeus in such a state, he must have endured much rejection, dismissal and neglect which eventually drove him to the streets to live the life of a beggar.
Now when Jesus walks by, instead of being defeated by the endless rejection he may have faced, he cries out. When the crowd tries to reject him again, he cries out even louder disregarding the hostility he faces. What did Jesus do?
Jesus stood still and said, “Call him here.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart; get up, he is calling you.” Mark 10:49
There was nobody beside Bartimaeus to support him. No family. No friends. He was alone. He only knew rejection and hostility. He could have easily assumed Jesus is no different than the rest of the crowd. He could have easily given up after his first cry.
This however, would have left him in the same tragic state as before, so he persevered. Looking past the calloused eyes of the crowd, he persevered in his prayer to Jesus, and Jesus heard. Not only did Jesus hear, but He called Bartimaeus out of the crowd and healed him. Through this personal encounter with Jesus, Bartimaeus was able to leave behind his destitute life as a beggar on the street, and find a home in Jesus.
This is the type of spirituality each of us are called to. Not a frail spirituality that breaks at a minor inconvenience, but a resilient spirituality that doesn’t give up hope. Even with the roaring voices around you saying “You’re not enough!” “You need to give up!” “Your second chances have run out!” Press forward with your eyes set on a God who calls you out of the crowd.
If Bartimaeus appeased the crowd when they demanded silence, he would have remained in his state of misery. In the same way, if you give up hope on your journey of faith, your spirituality comes to a standstill. Witnessing your perseverance in prayer is when Jesus calls you to be set apart.
Your life is more than the negativity around you. A life in pursuit of a deeper relationship with Jesus holds the promise of hope, love and an assurance of positivity. The moment you open your eyes to that truth, a whole world awaits.
Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Romans 12:12