I was at a shopping mall in Abuja years ago. It had been raining and though it had simmered down to a drizzle, water continued to drip from the edges of the roof. I made for the carpark and just as I left the entrance, I noticed a hole in the concrete slab. This wasn’t one created by a hammer or something heavy. On the contrary, it was created by the constant raindrops concentrated on a spot from the edge of the portico.
It’s intriguing how nature and the world around us can say so much to us without uttering a word. From trees to streams, mountains to seas, nature truly speaks. Let’s take the sun for example, it’s been doing the same thing for centuries and hasn’t lost steam – literally! The sun truly has a lot to teach us about staying power.
By definition, staying power implies the ability to maintain an activity or commitment despite fatigue or difficulty; (google dictionary) Other words that capture the meaning of staying power include resilience, stamina, endurance, indefatigability, tirelessness, fortitude, strength, vigor, energy, toughness, determination, tenacity, perseverance, grit etc
It has been said that “if you look for excuses, you’ll find many. If you look for opportunities, many will find you” It’s a natural tendency to choose the path of least resistance on the road to success but staying true to the path is what makes trail blazers. Like in the example of the raindrops, it takes consistency and resilience to make a mark in the sands of time. People rarely get a gold medal for an attempt or intention to take action.
I woke up recently and a song about “Victory” kept playing in my spirit. I was then reminded of how much of life is a fight. The good thing is that for the most part, we only need to show up because the victory is already ours. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 15:57 “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ”.
The LORD spoke to Joshua saying “be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9 NLT). He was letting him know ahead of time that there would be reasons to fear or give in, but he needed to keep moving no matter what came up. Why? The victory was already settled. He only needed to show up to claim it.
Like the sun, Jesus taught us saying “Your lives light up the world. For how can you hide a city that stands on a hilltop? And who would light a lamp and then hide it in an obscure place? Instead, it’s placed where everyone in the house can benefit from its light. So don’t hide your light! Let it shine brightly before others, so that your commendable works will shine as light upon them, and then they will give their praise to your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16 TPT). We may never know how many people have refused to give in because we simply decided not to throw in the towel. In this life, someone is either headed into a challenge, presently in a challenge or just coming out of a challenging time. For the most part, a decision to stay in the game and fight becomes a ray of hope for someone else. You are the light at the end of someone’s tunnel. Like the sun, keep shining in a way that people can navigate all the way to themselves. The moon only needs to align itself properly to the sun to get its shine. Many lives may be aligning to yours.
Life can be a very demanding competition, but we stay in the game because the prize already bears our name. Apostle Paul speaking, said: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:7-8 NLT). The gold medal awaits the one who will stay the course. Speaking of gold, it’s interesting to note that fire devours wood but refines gold. Not everyone qualifies to go through the trial you’re going through but only by going through it is the quality of your material validated.
We might say that building staying power is as simple as ABC.
a. Acknowledge the task: Know ahead of time that there will be friction but only in a way that enhances motion.
b. Believe in the end result: when it looks like there’s no point going forward, remember why you started in the first place.
c. Continue with the next step: the good thing about taking baby steps is looking back to see the distance only an adult could have covered.
Adebayo Martins | More Resources | Connect with Bayor
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