Perseverance

“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”

(James 1:12, NASB)

            For the past several weeks, I’ve been watching a Pileated Woodpecker drilling away at the old oak tree in our front yard. Several dead branches are covered in holes where the bird has been pecking, searching for ants and tiny insects to eat. His bright, red crest bobs back and forth as his long, sturdy beak hammers at the wood.

Drrrr, drrr, drrrr.

The constant drone reminds me of a pneumatic jackhammer hard at work.

Drrrr, drrr, drrrr.

I admire his perseverance. He works incessantly in hopes of finding some small morsel of food. Occasionally he stops to glance around for any sign of danger, then returns to his relentless drilling.

In many ways, he reminds me of myself. I rise every morning, full of expectations and hopes. I peck away at the tasks and challenges of daily life, only to end the day with only small scraps of accomplishment to keep me going. Discouraged, I’m tempted to give up on my dead branch and find fulfilment elsewhere. This old tree has nothing more to give me in the way of gratification.

Google defines perseverance as “steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.” It’s a persistence, a tenacity and determination to finish despite difficult circumstances. 
 The Apostle Paul reminded the believers in Rome that God commends perseverance. “We exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance proven character; and proven character, hope” (Romans 5: 3-4, NASB). 
 Perseverance is a stick-to-itiveness born of the conviction that God has set us in this place for a reason, even despite the discouragements life tosses our way.

Sometimes we don’t see the fruits of our labors here on earth. Yet God sees each one of our endeavors. If they are performed for His glory, He can take our seemingly small efforts and turn them into great blessings. I believe we will be amazed when we get to heaven and see the impact we’ve had on others, simply because we persevered in the tasks God assigned to each one of us. “Do not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.” (Galatians 6: 9, NASB).

This morning I saw a red head bobbing up and down in my old oak tree. The woodpecker was back. After several minutes of intense pecking, he stopped, then glanced my way. That’s when I noticed the large, juicy beetle clenched in his beak.

Perseverance.