Perseverance and Finding Hope

On an episode of the Feel Better Live More podcast, Dr. Chatterjee shared that sometimes getting comfortable can cause stress. He mentioned that a friend had paid for a service on a train, but when it wasn’t available, he had to get up to get a glass of water, which made him upset. The host pointed out that his friend was focused on the inconvenience of something we used to do for ourselves.

It was a good example of how reliant we are on modern conveniences. We can get so much at the touch of a button or the sound of our voice (“Alexa, turn off the light”). However, when it doesn’t work as expected, it can lead to frustration.

While on a run a few days later, I was thinking about the message on the podcast when “Perseverance” came to mind.

I was tired and debated whether I had the energy for my usual route on Saturdays. I decided to try the full route, reasoning that if I got too tired, I could walk more of it. About halfway through the run, I started to walk up a large hill. Tired hit me, and I thought to myself, “I’ll skip the next big hill.”

A little further in my run, there’s a road I can turn right on that leads up a steep hill, then circles back to my route. I usually take this turn and walk up the big hill to help build muscle (a never-ending battle as I get older). Feeling tired, I planned to skip it this week, when “Perseverance” came back to mind.

When I first started running, I tended to walk up the hills. However, I needed to get stronger, and running hills is an excellent way to build strength. So, I started trying to jog up them. First, it was only two steps, then four, then six… I’d jog as far as I could, then walk the rest. As I practiced this, a Bible verse about perseverance came to mind:

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

At the time, I had a lot on my plate, and I knew that practicing perseverance while running could help me rely on it in other situations too.

My kids laugh at me because I like sports movies. But it’s not the actual sports story that appeals to me, it’s the lessons these movies impart. Such as, We Are the Titans, where in the middle of desegregation, through the perseverance of the coaches who influenced a football team, which in turn influenced a school, and then a town, to learn to come together and treat each other respectfully.

Not all the movies I’m drawn to are about sports. Another of my favorites is Apollo 13. When systems failed, all of the men at the flight center and aboard Apollo 13 persevered in finding solutions. This commitment enabled the astronauts to return to Earth and reunite with their families. Other favorites include Radio and Freedom Writers.

But what does perseverance have to do with harmful relationships?

I pondered this during my recent run and realized that perseverance is needed to avoid harmful relationships or to overcome them once we're out of one.

For me, it takes perseverance to:

• Adjust and not go back to a harmful relationship

• Learning to be okay when I’m not in a relationship

• Trying new things and meeting new people

• Not settling for the wrong relationship

• Avoiding dating apps when I'm feeling lonely

  
  

Perseverance has been on my mind for several weeks. On another run recently, a thought came to mind: When we’re persevering, we’re moving towards a goal. We have hope towards an outcome. Then I realized that the opposite of perseverance is discouragement, often leading to losing hope. I understood the verse from Romans (above) in a new way. The idea of moving towards hope was powerful.

I had fallen away from the habit of trying to run up hills and haven’t been as strong in other areas of my life. However, after reflecting on this, I was grateful for the reminder to practice perseverance, so I can rely on it when needed in other areas of my life. It’s giving me renewed commitment to be mindful and practice building that muscle going forward. It reminds me of Hebrews 12:1-2

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

Wishing you healthy relationships and perseverance to wait for the right one.