Perseverance (def)- Steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success. In the movie A Knight's Tale, Heath Ledger's character took quite a journey of greatness. The movie chronicles his life from his childhood, born a poor man's son, his father basically selling him into service as a valet to an aristocrat. The story fast forwards to show the boy as a young man serving yet another nobleman who goes through the country jousting for sport and money. The man he is serving dies after a joust where he got wounded and the young Will Thatcher takes on this man's colors and identity. He is extremely talented at jousting, and after honing his skills, starts winning jousting matches. Much to the dismay of one Adhemar, who up to the entrance of Will into the jousting world had been the ongoing undefeated champion. Young Will and his band of misfits continue to win one competition after another in their quest for more wealth and position. He even uses counterfeit papers to allow him to continue to compete and fights his way to power and position. Adhemar hears of young Will's rise to stardom, but cannot do anything about it as he is called off to war. Upon returning from war Adhemar sees his chance to meet and hopefully defeat Will at the upcoming championships in London. This match is particularly special to Will because that is where he is from and also left as a young lad. He seeks out his father and upon finding him is discovered as the impostor he is by Adhemar and is put in the stocks or prison. Prince Edward, who Will was very fair to at an earlier match, overrides the decision to keep Will from the match by issuing an order that only someone of his position can order and Will gets to joust in the championship match. At this point in the movie I was thinking, "Will is going to destroy Adhemar and get his just due." But Adhemar puts a spear head on the end of his jousting spear and on their first pass injures Will severely. Earlier Adhemar had visited Will in jail and beat him up and leaned down and said, "You have been weighed, You have been measured, and you have absolutely been found wanting." Those words rang in young Will's ears as he realized his injury might keep him from fulfilling his dream of winning the tournament. But like his name, his will took over and he willed himself to get back on the horse and defeat Adhemar. Victory!!! As he goes to the fallen Adhemar, he leans in and repeats those fateful words, "You have been weighed, You have been measured, and you have absolutely been found wanting." Justice at last.
No matter what the circumstances of his life, young Will was determined to finish his race, complete his quest at all costs. One distraction after another, one let down after another, but yet he still kept on. He saw the goal and worked to keep that goal in front of himself and showed great perseverance. It's because of perseverance that goodness turns into greatness. It's because of perseverance that mediocrity becomes majesty. It's because of perseverance that defeat becomes decided victory. Jesus showed great perseverance as he was met at every turn of his travels on this earth with great hatred, deceit, and evil. But He persevered!! He finished His race for you and for me. Scripture calls us to persevere in the face of great odds and great evil. Ephesians 6:12 says, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." So, our perseverance has some tough times ahead as we know our enemy is very powerful. But don't despair and don't give up. Romans 12:11 says, "Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord." Perseverance... The enemy will try to keep us from trusting in God and His mighty power. The enemy will try to make us doubt the power we have inside us and he will tempt us by giving us easier alternatives in our direction, so as to keep us from having the effect God wants us to have in our life's direction. But persevere, please persevere. The Kingdom depends on our perseverance, so don't despair, don't fall back, don't quit, keep on serving. The enemy will even whisper these words to us from time to time to get us to quit, "You have been weighed, You have been measured, and you have absolutely been found wanting." But James 1:4 says, "Perseverance must finish it's work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." The Word of God admonishes each of us by saying "Perseverance must finish it's work." In other words, don't give up! Persevere!!! Here is a story of one Godly man's quest to finish the work God started in him.
One day George Muller began praying for five of his friends. After many months, one of them came to the Lord. Ten years later, two others were converted. It took 25 years before the fourth man was saved. Muller persevered in prayer until his death for the fifth friend, and throughout those 52 years he never gave up hoping that he would accept Christ! His faith was rewarded, for soon after Muller's funeral the last one was saved.
It would be so sad to start a quest and quit in the middle and never experience the victory of that quest by quitting. Perseverance is something that has to happen if you expect to see God do great things through your life. Our goodness will become greatness, if we persevere!! Our apathy will become awesome, if we persevere!!
Romans 5:3-5 says it well about this process of persevering. "3 No only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character hope 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." We have all we need to finish the race set before us so here's what we need to do. Press on.. Philippians 3:14 says "Press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." God's Word has spoken... perservere!!!
The Pilgrimage continues...
David Warren
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