Rewards of Persistence

Bad habits are hard to break, but persistence in things that lead to righteousness before God will bring blessing.

2MefromHim Devotional

“And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night?” Luke 18:7a

Thud, thud, thud, the noise went on for hours. After listening in various areas of our kitchen and great room, I discovered the source. A young robin sat in the redbud tree right outside the window. Every few minutes he would launch himself off the branch and straight into the window, head first.

As the afternoon sun hit the west-facing window, he would stop. The glare on the window seemed to drive him away, but the next morning he was back. Thud, thud, thud.

People at a local bird specialty shop suggested covering the window with something dark and uninviting, since the bird must find something inside the window attractive. Armed with a stool, newspaper, and tape, I proceeded to cover the window, but as soon as the tape let loose, the little robin began his incessant head-banging again. For weeks, I kept replacing the paper each time it came loose, and at last the young bird learned his lesson and moved on.

What an object lesson in the dangers of persistently pursuing potentially dangerous activities despite the peril. Some people are more prone to addictive and dangerous behaviors than others, but all of us, at one time or another, have pursued something that was not in our best interests.
In Romans 1, Paul reveals God’s condemnation for those who not only persist in sinful behavior, but approve of those who practice such activities. The punishment is for God to refuse to speak to them any longer and allow them to continue in their sinful actions to their detriment.

However, the Bible speaks of another kind of persistence which is rewarded with blessing. We will be blessed when we do not grow weary and discouraged in pleading for justice. The widow who went day after day to beg for mercy and justice from a judge, who refused to give in, was rewarded when he became tired of her and gave in to get her to leave him alone. Her persistence paid off in justice, even though the judge’s motives were wrong.
I must ask myself if what I crave that is causing me to do things that are harmful. Am I as persistent in pursuing righteous ends as I am in pursuing sinful ends?

If I persist in holy and not harmful activities, God will bless my efforts.

About the author:

Norma Gail’s debut contemporary Christian romance, Land of My Dreams, released in April 2014. She has led weekly women’s Bible studies for 19 years. Her devotionals and poetry have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the StitchesthruTime blog, and in “The Secret Place.” She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, FaithWriters, Romance Writers of America, and the New Mexico Christian Novelists. She and her husband of 38 years have two adult children.