The Spiritual Discipline of Perseverance

Daily Scripture Threshing for Friday, October 13, 2023

Today’s Text: Psalm 46:1-11

Key Verse: Psalm 46:10 (NKJV): Be still, and know that I am God;I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

We’ve used and heard words like persistence, tenacity, determination, resolve and resolution. They are all social and secularized expressions for being constant in what we believe in despite oppression, opposition, difficulty and/or delay. When we bring these words to the field of spirituality, then the terms change: we have endurance, long suffering and perseverance.

I know that Christians love this Psalm, but we are arguably tired of the whole “be still” idea. And, let’s face it; there are many reasons it's hard to be still, but we can take another look at this scripture. In the school of prophets and discipleship, the first and last notes of lessons is perseverance—endurance combined with the ability to suffer long while having absolute assurance and certainty that what we are promised is going to be given.

When we want to deny our fear of letting go and failing, we say, “I’m hanging in there!” But perseverance is deeper than that. It is refusing to believe that our hero may be conquered. Our greatest fear is not that we will be damned, but that somehow God will be defeated or fail us. There is the call to spiritual perseverance here. It is not just to hang on and do nothing, but to experience the calm of patience that comes from knowing with certainty that God will never fail.

You may be experiencing disappointment right now, just know that you are going through purification while you wait on/for God. I know it’s hard, but remember Revelation 3:10: “Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.” Perseverance is a spiritual discipline to be still when things are not; but we must continue to exercise such stillness.

Quote for the Day: “You are at your best when you reset your focus and rest in a deeper and renewed understanding of who God is and of who you are called to be.” (Simon Olatunji)

Prayer: Dear Lord, You know my heart better than I know it myself. You know my struggles and You hold each hope and fear in Your caring hands. Please Lord, teach me, to be still and to know that You are God — in Jesus’ name. Amen.

With all my love and prayers,

Rev Simon Wale Olatunji, Ph.D.

Your Darling Bishop (DaBishop)

For further inquiry and free spiritual help, visit or write:

The Darling Bishop,

2321 S Belt Line Rd., Suite 144

Grand Prairie TX 75051 USA

+1 (407) 360-8280; (817) 822-8441

[Daily Scripture Threshing is a devotional guide of The House of Prayer Evangel Church USA distributed for free use by individuals, small groups, families, and Christian churches]

Send | Share | Subscribe | Support