A few months back, I was given a project at work.  I spent two weeks doing research, and I came to the conclusion that we could not do what we wanted to do.  So, I suggested a solution.  After my boss re-researched the issue, he came to the same conclusion.

Friday I was given another project.  Yesterday, I could find no information.  Today, I found what I needed.  But–again–it turns out that we cannot do what we want to do.  So now I am in the position of, once again, being the naysayer.  And I have to find an alternative. 

What is God teaching me in this?  Perseverance. 

My base nature is, when I find a roadblock, to put the car in reverse and go home; to say, sorry Charlie, we can’t do this.  Come up with a better idea.  Good luck with that buddy.

But today when I hit the roadblock, I immediately considered alternatives.  If you can’t go straight ahead, hit the GPS, find an alternate route and get busy going. 

Last night I finally admitted that God has changed me so much in such a short amount of time that I literally don’t know at times what is going to come out of my mouth.  But, this could not have happened had I not continued walking forward with perseverance.  There were so many times over the past few years that I wanted to turn in my Christian card and live my life the way that I wanted to live my life.  I wanted nothing to do with the church; I certainly never wanted anything to do with Christians.  But I heard the still, small voice of God in the back of my head, in my darkest moments and my brightest moments, reminding me of what He told me when I was 7 years old.

Now today, 24 years later, I am seeing the fruit of the perserverance of faith–steadfastly standing on what God says to be true.