PERSISTENCE
Many people at times wonder or ask the question ‘What is persistence?’ If that is your
question, then I trust this article will help answer that question.
I personally believe persistence or the absence of it is
the main reason why one person succeeds and another fails at the same task.
We often here people use the word persistence in
different occasions to different people especially in sports. I also coaches as
well mentors and Spiritual leaders saying: ‘‘ Be persistence!’’ What does it
really mean to be persistence?
WHAT
IS PERSISTENCE?
We are going to attempt to
answer this question in two ways; first, from the secular, then from the
Bible’s point of view.
What it mean to persist? (Dictionary definition)
To
persist means
1)
‘to
continue in an opinion or course of action in spite of difficulty or
opposition.’
Oxford
2) ‘too continue steadfastly or firmly in
some state, purpose, course of action or the like, especially in spite of
opposition. (e.g to persist in an unpopular activity – that is, one that is not
approved by your entourage or some other person or persons)’
Thessaurus
3) ‘to last or endure tenaciously
(unstoppably, unhindered)’
Thessaurus
4) ‘to continue to do something or to try
to do something even though it is difficult or other people want you to stop’
Merriam Webster
5) A) ‘to cont to do or say something in a
determined way .’
B)
‘to continue to exist.
Macmillan
Now, what is the Bible or God’s meaning of the word ‘to
persist or persistence’?
The Hebrew word for persist
is the word sarah which means to
persist, exert oneself, persevere, to wrestle, to strive.
Another Hebrew word that is
often rendered persist throughout the Bible is the word amad.
Amad means to take one’s stand, stand: it is often translated to abide, to act, to arise, to break, to
confirm, to endure, to enter, to establish, to fulfill, to give stability, to
remain, to rise, to lean, to withstand, to stand still, to stay, to wait, to
stand upright, to carry on, to carry through, to be stubborn, to seek etc.
Source:
Strong’s Concordance
Persistence
is the consistent insistence to keep going after what you are going after. To
persist means to keep on keeping on.
Myles
Munroe
Matthew 7:7, however is a
popularly quoted verses that is often times misunderstood or diluted and
limited to prayer. Many fail to understand that there is a difference between
the process of asking, seeking and knocking. The following translations of
Matthew 7:7-8 clearly paint a picture of persistence.
‘‘Ask,
and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be
opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh
findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.’’
King
James Version
“Keep
asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep
knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives,
and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be
opened.’’
Holman
Christian Standard Bible
“Ask,
and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be
opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and
to the one who knocks it will be opened.’’
English
Standard Version
‘‘Keep
on asking and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking and you will
find. Keep on seeking and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be
opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And
to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.’’
New
Living Translation
‘‘Don’t
bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This isn’t a cat–and–mouse,
hid–and–seek game we’re in.’’
Message
‘‘Ask
and keep on asking and it will be given to you; seek and keep on seeking and
you will find; knock and keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who keeps on asking receives, and he who keeps on seeking finds,
and to him who keeps on knocking, it will be opened.’’
Amplified
English Bible
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