“So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” — Hebrews 10:35-36
Simply put, stick with it. Don’t quit, and don’t take no for an answer. Pray daily instead! Use your imagination and find a way around your obstacles — persistence pays! Napoleon Hill, the author of the book from which we are studying these principles to success, said something like this about persistence: “Persistence is an essential factor in transmuting desire into good health, a better job, increasing your business stream of income, building the congregation of your church, your monetary goal no matter what it is you seek.”
Today, short attention spans are prevalent with the advent of iPods, cellphones and computer browsers in adults and children. No wonder folks keep changing from one thing to another without using that old-fashioned elbow grease, that stick-to-it-ness, which is required to win.
Thomas Edison commented that 90% of people quit 90% of the way to accomplishing their goals. If they had only known they were almost there, they would have kept going. These days it’s 99% who quit a mere 20% of the way. Well, these folks have only just begun to get their work done. However, it is those who persist who win; those who do not quit do not lose. That is as true today as it was 80 years ago when Hill wrote “Think and Grow Rich.”
Persistence of bad habits, though, seems to continue to flourish. Despite the overwhelming evidence that the way we think and what we believe is not producing the results we desire, we persist in hanging on to what does not work.
Many people see small problems, which are merely molehills, as major mountains blocking their path. Only a few choose to see a mountain in their path as an opportunity to gain a broader perspective as they continue to travel along life’s journey. Persistence turns stumbling blocks into stepping stones. It is simply a matter of attitude.
Many fail to be persistent for fear of failure. They lose hope. Fear is faith in reverse; fear tolerated is faith contaminated, and fear is not of God. Faith comes by hearing, so does fear. Make a choice about what it is we hear and accept. You will not be persistent when you operate in fear; fear will cause you to quit.
An example is when planning the grand opening celebration for my company in 1983, I didn’t have money to pay for the first-class — or let me say kind of upscale — celebration that I had planned. I was waiting on an unemployment check that would cover six months of back pay from my previous job in Oakland, California. The office was decorated, with nice used office furniture, plants, business phones installed and turned on, our business license in place, and our first dollar bill framed, hanging proudly on the wall. We were excited!
By faith, the celebration was planned: a wonderful menu was confirmed by our caterer, glass dishes, all top-of-the-line; engraved invitations ordered; guest speakers confirmed, like Rep. Walter E. Fauntroy, Fred Thomas, who was a news anchor from TV4 in 1983, Council member Charlene Drew Jarvis (my office was in her ward) and Council member Nadine P. Winters, since we lived in her ward (she is deceased now; we lived across the street from her).
Invitations were dropped in the mail when fear hit me! I thought to myself, “Are you crazy, putting all of these invitations in the mail, and you don’t know how you’re going to pay for this?” Well, too late! They were already in the mailbox when my fear hit me. Thank God, I was operating by faith.
Persist and operate in faith. Don’t move forward on what it is you see. Walk by faith, and not by sight. Believe in God and know he will be there for you.
It worked, ladies and gentlemen. My unemployment check arrived in the mail within a week of the event and everything worked out wonderfully — we even purchased new suits to wear so we could look like professional businesswomen!
Purpose, passion plus persistence equals prosperity. Be persistent!
Lyndia Grant is a speaker/writer living in the D.C. area. Her radio show, “Think on These Things,” airs Fridays at 6 p.m. on 1340 AM (WYCB), a Radio One station. To reach Grant, go to her website, www.lyndiagrant.com, email lyndiagrantshowdc@gmail.com or call 240-602-6295. Follow her on X @LyndiaGrant and on Facebook.
