I’ve written a book that I hope to publish – an adventure story for middle-grade kids. Had I known how difficult it would be, I would have kicked the idea out of my head as soon as it entered my mind. I’ve wanted to give up more times than I can count. One of the reasons I haven’t is the quote, “The only difference between a published author and an unpublished one is perseverance.”

The publishing world is hardly the only place where we need endurance. Any accomplishment in any field requires tenacity, as does the Christian life in general. Being on the field brings it up a notch. All this is enough to make me want to throw up my hands in surrender.

The Apostle Paul knew a thing or two about perseverance. Reading about his exploits in Acts can make our heads spin. He faced enough trials and tribulations to cause a hundred men to give up. So what was his secret?

We discover the key to his endurance from his advice to others. To the Corinthians, he gave the example of a race at the Olympics. The athletes trained and submitted to suffering because they had a goal in mind: to win the prize – a wreath of olive leaves and the fame that came with it.

To the Galatians, Paul encouraged them to be like farmers waiting for the harvest to come. He went so far as to state that not giving up is in itself enough to produce a crop.

In both cases, we see the importance of focusing on the goal instead of the hardships. This develops perseverance, which in turn yields fruit.

One of the sad trends I’ve seen on the field is workers giving up too soon. One or two years go by with no harvest in sight, so they go home, dejected. 

There are many legitimate reasons to leave the field, but discouragement is not one of them. I’ve been tempted, too. Unless God specifically tells us to go home, he wants us to stand firm because perseverance will reap a harvest if we don’t give up.