I like what Bob Gass says about perseverance.

Perseverance means:

Achievers don’t sit back and wait for success because they think the world ‘owes them.’ No, if you’re wise you’ll ask God for direction, stand firm on the word He has given you, go forward and refuse to quit. You must adopt the attitude of the man who said, ‘We are determined to win. We’ll fight them until hell freezes over, and if we have to, we’ll fight them on ice.’ Recalling the trials he’d faced, Paul said: ‘”I started, and I’m going to finish. I’ve worked much harder, been jailed more often, beaten up more times than I can count, and at death’s door…And that’s not the half of it”‘ (2 Corinthians 11:23-28 TM). One word describes Paul; relentless.

Each task has its own challenges and each day its own events. You have to get out of bed the next morning and run again, but it’s never exactly the same race. To be successful you must keep plugging away. It’s said that Columbus faced incredible difficulties while sailing west in search of a passage to Asia. He encountered storms, experienced hunger, deprivation and extreme discouragement. The crews of his three ships were near mutiny. But his account of the journey says the same thing over and over: “Today, we sailed on.” And his perseverance paid off. He didn’t discover a fast route to the spice-rich Indies; instead he found new continents. The scriptural key to success is running the race each day (Hebrews 12:1-2). So, this year; persevere.

Last week during an NFL playoff Game Brenda and I watched the San Deigo Chargers play Paton Manning and the Colts in a game that went into “sudden death” overtime with 17 – 17 tied up game. As the teams came out the play in overtime, John Madden said as he was commentating the game something I think anyone in leadership can use when it seems like your vision is in “sudden death overtime”.

John said that “Phillip Rivers is a seasoned quarter back and he knows that in situations like this he has to do four things:

1. DON’T HURRY.

2. STAY CALM.

3. DON’T FORCE ANYTHING. 

4. DON’T DO ANYTHING STUPID.”

What great advice to anyone who feels the pressure of a “vision in overtime.”

By the way, Philip Rivers drove his team down the field and Darren Sprouls the “lightening bug” ran in for the winning touchdown.