A lot of things have been said about the value of perseverance. We all know the good old fable about the tortoise and the hare. And the great preacher Charles Spurgeon once said, "The snail would never have made it on the ark, except through long perseverance!" Winston Churchill led an entire nation through World War II with his grim determination to go on to the end and never surrender.

The book of James puts it this way, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." (James 1:2 NIV) An apostle of Jesus speaks about persevering when he says, "I've finished the race, I've fought the fight, I've kept the faith. Therefore there is laid up for me a crown of life." (2 Timothy 4:7-8)

The victor's crown comes only after persevering. Perseverance may be difficult for you today, but it will make life work better for you in the long run and God will use it to transform you to be more like him!