Five Minute Friday - Persist

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One word. Five minutes to write about it. This is the idea behind Five Minute Friday and this is today's free-writing post.

if cough persists . . . 

persistence pays off

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 Persistence is often seen as a virtue, and something necessary to success. Certainly that's true. "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again," right? Courage and perseverance are essential, but only once you're on the right track. Nobody wants persistent weeds in the garden, or a persistent cough that your cold medicine can't cure. Those are signs of a bigger problem.

Any man can make mistakes, but only an idiot persist in his error. ~Marcus Tullius Cicero

 There's no benefit to persisting in a belief that's wrong or a behavior habit that's self-destructive. In fact, it's foolish and self-destructive to persist in a belief or behavior that's wrong. Before we settle in and establish a habit and persist in it, we'd do well to make sure it's the right thing to do. 

Never let your persistence and passion turn into stubbornness and ignorance. ~Anthony J. D'Angelo

Here's what God had to say through the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah was prophesying to a nation who kept a lot of religious festivals and checked off a lot of lists of religious practices, but couldn't be bothered to help the poor or oppressed, or to change any of their sinful habits even after God had spoken to them.

Woe to the sinful nation, a people whose guilt is great, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption! They have forsaken the LORD; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him. Why should you be beaten anymore? Why do you persist in rebellion? Your whole head is injured, your whole heart afflicted. . .

Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong. Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; please the case of the widow.

"Come now, let us settle the matter," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword."

For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

~Isaiah 1:4-5, 16-20~

Paul's letter to the Romans echoes this promise of reward or consequences for what we persist in. 

God will repay each person according to what they have done. To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.

~Romans 2:6-8~

Let's make sure we are most persistent in doing what is good and right.

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Life is full of challenges, but I always have the Three Ps: Passion, patience and persistence. And the fourth one is pizza.  ~Butch Hartman

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This post is linked at Five Minute Friday for the word prompt "Persist".

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