Passionate Perseverance

Passion and perseverance may, at first sight, appear somewhat incompatible. Passion shines bright with the energy of a sprint, but it can be over instantly: someone launches into a project with wonderful ideas but flakes out at the first hurdle. Perseverance may seem very dull in comparison, like a slow marathon. The reliable, self-disciplined, faithful plodder may be less noticed but invariably respected. In this text, both qualities are beautifully combined in Paul as we witness his single-minded perseverance inspired by a passionate response to God’s grace.

Expressing the intensity of his emotions, Paul urges the believers to run the Christian race with great determination. Having told the story of his promising past and present passion, Paul insists on drawing full attention to his future goal: completing the race for which Christ has entered him. Despite his imperfections, everything about him strains towards that finishing line: knowing Jesus Christ fully. Fascination with earthly trivia (whether greed, legalism, or something else) is a pitiful distraction in the light of the Saviour’s glorious appearance. In the meantime, precisely because that future hope stretches like elastic right back into the present, Paul presses on with grit and focus.

In the busyness of personal and church life, we need to keep that goal before us. In our mission and evangelism, we call people not to a spectator sport or short-term therapy but to a lifelong marathon.

We offer new Christians opportunities for service, not to fill the need for workers but to build faith muscles through exercise and practical workouts. In our activities, we refuse to be sidetracked or diverted. In our weariness and stumbling, when it seems like a slog, we remind each other that Jesus has hold of us. We persevere, fuelled not by temporary excitement or adrenalin but by a passion powered through knowing Christ day by day.

Respond in Prayer

Father, I confess that I fail so often to sustain the passion I felt when I started something. As I come to you day by day, please give me the perseverance Paul is talking about here. Keep me free from distraction, and help me, too, to press on with grit and focus. For Jesus' sake, Amen.