Nevertheless She Persisted

If one hasn't been under a rock or on another planet one must have heard the comments by Sen. Mitch McConnell about Sen. Elizabeth Warren:  "She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted.”  This cry of  "she persisted" has become a rally for many feminists.  In fact, Chelsea Clinton wrote an amazing children's book called "She Persisted: 13 American Women who Changed the World."  Some of these women that Chelsea Clinton wrote about were believers.   

You may wonder why I am even mentioning this whole situation.  This week I was doing my Beth Moore study called "Entrusted" and she ended the chapter with  

Persist.  Jesus is on His way.  Your anointing has not run dry.  Heaven has not forgotten you're alive.  You have not believed for nothing.  The results of your faith will soon sprout from that fallow ground.  Just a little more rain.  Just a little more thunder.  Your obedience will pay off.  You have not wasted a single breath on prayer.  There is still life in your bones and, child of God, there is still life in His Word.  Persist.   

These words come as a reflection of the verse:  

Proclaim the message; persist in it whether convenient or not; rebuke, correct, and encourage with great patience and teaching.  HCSB 2 Timothy 4:2 

We as believers are to persist in proclaiming the Gospel.  This as Beth Moore states through the "Entrusted" study is the gifting that we have each been entrusted with.  It may not be convenient to us.  I know personally how hard it is to persist in sharing the Gospel.  I have lost a few friends and even family members treat me with an air of distain.  

I know how hard it is also to persist in life.  Sometimes life comes at you with so many things that you just don't think you can take.  I was at my IF:Table group today and admitted that I don't ask God any more "When??"  my cry lately is "How much more am I expected to endure?"  I think we all feel like this sometimes.   As women there are so many societal expectations on us as wives, mothers, daughters, sisters, friends, in our homes, places of business and, sadly, our places of worship.  Last week I had to call out a dear friend for the "old boys club."  This was in respect with an Elder's meeting.   We think we have come so far in this respect and in realty we have barely scratched the surface.  As a wife and mother, I have taken a very traditional role in my home.  It was something that my husband and I both agreed upon.   With my role as an Elder in our Church and as Chair of Council I have taken a very non-traditional role.  Sometimes the two clash.  It is hard to be the me that wants to be a role model for my daughter and a show her that God has gifted us with gifts that we are called to use and show her that traditional roles do have value. 

We will all face suffering.  In fact I once heard that if you aren't suffering that you should ask yourself why not or that you should expect it to come.  God will allow things into our lives that make us bend.  He is working on our faith.   

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. Romans 5:3-5 NIV 

Did you notice one of the words in that verse:  Perseverance.  It means steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.  Can you think of word that may mean the same.  The one I started with: Persist.  Persist literally means to continue firmly in a course of action in spite of difficulty, opposition, or failure.  We as believers are called to continue through the difficulty, through the things, that hurt through the opposition.  Yes we will fail sometimes but we need to persevere and persist through these times.  I can tell you that the last 5 years have been very hard.  My husband's depression has been a roller coaster of emotions.  We have had 2 hospitalizations for long periods and 2 out patient programs.  I wish I could tell you that he is not struggling at this moment but it is there taking control of our lives.  There have been many times we have both said "I'm done."  I'm done with the stress.  I am done being tired.  I am done feeling this way. There are many days that I have watched my husband barely get out of bed because the depression has stolen joy and hope from Him. This verse reminds me that I need to persevere through the pain and suffering because there is hope. 

We need to persist.  Whether in our calling or our lives.  God didn't just plunk us here and then say lets see what they'll do.   God wants to see us grow and become the people that he created us to be.  He wants us to use the gifts that He gave us to advance His kingdom.  He refines us through fire so that we can be purified and our faith can be solid.  I want to hear from God at the end:

"Nevertheless She Persisted."