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    It has been said that the secret of perseverance is to be like a duck — smooth and unruffled on top, but paddling furiously underneath.

    Nicolo Paganini was a well-known and gifted 19th century violinist. His most memorable concert, however, was one marked by “furious paddling” rather than easy success. The concert was performed with a full orchestra before a packed house in Italy. Those who heard him play say that Paganini’s technique was incredible, his tone fantastic. Toward the end of the concert, Paganini was astounding his rapt audience with a very difficult composition when one string on his violin suddenly snapped and hung limply from his instrument. Paganini frowned only briefly, shook his head, and continued to play, improvising beautifully.

God has vowed to stay beside us.

    Then to everyone’s surprise, including Paganini’s, a second string broke. Shortly thereafter, a third string snapped. It seemed like a slapstick comedy routine as Paganini stood before the awed crowd with strings dangling from his Stradivarius violin. Instead of leaving the stage to repair his instrument, he stood firm. He calmly completed the difficult number on the one remaining string— a performance that won applause, admiration, and enduring fame.

    Sometimes in life we have to stand firm through tough times, but God has vowed to stay beside us. Paul the apostle found this truth in his own life. In 1 Corinthians 15:10, he wrote, “By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them — yet not I, but the grace of God that was within me.”

    Take heart that your best may very well be that effort performed under the toughest and most unusual circumstances! As you persevere, expending your greatest effort, you’ll also find God’s grace is greater still.