Written by Desiree Bustamante

Always be persistent!

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“Be joyful in hope, patient in trouble, and persistent in prayer.”
Romans 12:12 International Standard Version

A friend recently told me that the average male gets bored, and impatient, after 26 minutes on a shopping trip. When I mentioned this fact to some men I know, they responded, “That long?”.  Women become impatient for different reasons, like not being able to find what they are shopping for or leaving empty-handed.

Patience, and persistence, are often not our culture’s strengths. We must have what we want right now. Even when we pray we want immediate results, and we don’t want to have to ask twice.

Why should we keep praying? Persistence in prayer comes when we realize that we have nothing. When we come to the place where we have no other alternative, where we are desperate, where we are destitute, then we are persistent in prayer. Although we may not understand, persistence in prayer will bring unexpected blessings.

Our God is delighted when we approach Him in confidence and resolute faith.  He will not turn us away.

“And this is the confidence that we have in him: if we ask for anything according to his will, he listens to us. And if we know that he listens to our requests, we can be sure that we have what we ask him for.”
1 John 5:14-15 International Standard Version

Asking “according to His will” is key. We often pray for things that we want instead of what God desires for us. Asking what God wants from a situation can be a hard question to ask in the middle of extreme hardship.  Our desire is to want immediate relief for us, or someone in tough circumstances, but sometimes our responsibility is to encourage joyful hope, patient waiting, and persistent prayer.  This often goes against our very nature. Yet, when relief comes, we may see far greater benefit from it.  God is always at work on our faith, our character, and our future.  He needs time with us to develop His presence in us.

When we approach the throne of our God, in our powerlessness and great need, we see the face of a King who loves us.  If we make a practiced mindful decision to be hopeful in Christ, patient in any trouble, and persistent in prayer, we will gain a new perspective. He will always hear us and answer with our greatest good in mind.

“Be persistent in prayer, and keep alert as you pray, giving thanks to God.” 
Colossians 4:2 Good News Translation

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