Perseverance

https://odb.org/2026/03/30/keep-going-by-faith

Hebrews 12:1–3 (NIV): Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

To become a lawyer in California, Maxcy Filer had to pass the state’s grueling, three-day bar exam. So he took it not once, not twice, but forty-eight times before passing the tough test. His goal? To advocate for the underprivileged in Compton, his beloved city. Between his first and last attempts at passing the exam—across twenty-five years—Filer and his wife raised seven children, all who went to college. When Filer was sworn in, the judge said, “Three words about Maxcy Filer: perseverance, perseverance, perseverance.” (Patricia Raybon, Our Daily Bread 30th March 2026)

Maxcy Filler is an extreme example of someone who persevered over the years to eventually become a lawyer. 48 attempts at the Bar exams over 25 years! It was not an attempt at a career to earn a living and build a family (like most of us) but instead he had 7 children in the process and by the time he was called to the Bar, most of his children have entered college!

However, Filler’s case illustrates a very crucial point in our walk of faith and that is perseverance. It works very well because our walk of faith is over our lifetime here on earth. It spans 60, 70 or even 80 years – depending on when we accepted Christ and when we passed on.

The difference is that while Filler tried for 25 years to enter the Bar as a qualified member of practicing lawyers, we already entered the family of God from day one. The day we accepted Christ is the day we become a fully-functioning child of God able and qualified to receive His abundant love, grace and mercy. It then becomes a lifetime of learning how to relate to Jesus our Lord, God our Father and the Holy Spirit as our Helper. How to build up our faith, our trust in God that we may progress deeper in our spiritual life. How we may respond to God’s calling, His plans and purposes for our lives.

Nevertheless perseverance remains a key feature in our walk of faith. We will face distractions. We will meet temptations to draw us away from our chosen narrow path. We may end up spending too much time at the wayside. Some of us may even have forgotten God’s calling for us for years. Thus just wandering at the wayside not fulfilling God’s true purpose for our lives. We may have ended up doing all sorts of things except the one thing Father God had prepared for us since the foundations of the world.

For we know perseverance produces character and character hope because perseverance enables us to hang on to the narrow path and to continue our journey of faith until we are called home by the Lord. That is why perseverance ultimately leads to hope.

The message this morning is to persevere on. Our walk of faith is life-long. Perseverance is life-long. Never give up at any stage. If we had given up, pull ourselves up again and walk on the narrow path. Don’t let the world or our own ambitions rob us of our eternal reward in Christ Jesus! Persevere on to lay up our treasures in heaven where moth or rust cannot destroy or thieves will not break in and steal – Matthew 6:19-20.

P/S

We returned to Malaysia from the UK on the 18th of March and took quite a while to start sleeping normally again. Then came the Raya break.

Today is hence the new beginning in my writings after a long break. I noticed that despite my last post being on 17th March, there have been daily page views! I am thankful and appreciate all who made the effort to read my previous posts! I pray that you will be blessed even as you allow the Lord to speak to you through my writings.