As followers of Christ, we know that from the moment we follow Him, we’ve committed to embark on a lifelong spiritual journey. Jesus never said this journey was going to be easy. There are highs and lows, mountains and valleys that we have to go through. In moments when we are on top of a mountain, it feels easy to trust in Jesus and move forward in this journey. However, when we go into valleys, we feel far away from God and often give into despair and discouragement. In those low moments, it's important to remember to persevere. Both of our readings today teach us about the meaning of spiritual perseverance.

In Daniel 3:14-20 we see what perseverance looks like under difficult circumstances. In this story, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego faced so much pressure to sin when their king commanded them to worship a golden idol. Despite the threat of punishment from the king, they rejected idol worship and chose God instead. They displayed unwavering faith and endured. This is the kind of perseverance we should be striving for.

Persevering means to abide in Christ. John 8:32 tells us that when we remain in Him, “you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” We are slaves to sin, but once we know the truth, Christ sets us free. Knowing the truth means to continue believing and obeying His Word. There are seasons when we may experience doubt and fall to sin. We may feel like failures unworthy of being followers of Christ. We may be tempted to “take a break” or even give up on our journey all together. Rather than hiding from God during our low points, we should be running to Him and persevering.

What does spiritual perseverance look like? To me personally, it means to reflect and abide in God’s Word, to pray unceasingly, to ask for forgiveness from our sins, and to remind ourselves that we are beloved children of God. No matter what we do or how far we’ve fallen away, our Heavenly Father always has His arms wide open for us to return to. Sometimes it feels difficult and overwhelming to return to Him. In those times, it’s okay to take small steps. Even if that means praying for ten minutes that day, or taking a moment to reflect on a few verses from the Gospels. From there, you can grow and return on your journey with Christ. This is the meaning of perseverance–to endure trials and tribulations while following the Lord.

“Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance” (Luke 8:15).