Press OnSample

Do you remember those little bouncy balls you might’ve played with as a kid? They’d hit the ground at any speed and immediately bounce back. There didn’t seem to be anything you could throw that tiny ball at that would stop it from bouncing right back up. Perseverance helps us do something similar as humans. Perseverance requires a sense of bounce back. Instead of letting tough circumstances keep us down, perseverance allows us to bounce back up and keep going. And that’s something the writer of this psalm knew a thing or two about! He went through so many ups and downs in his life, and yet, his focus wasn’t on those challenges or difficulties. Instead, his focus was on what he knew would help him bounce back and press on: God. He kept his eyes, his heart, and his prayers focused on how much he depended on God to help him persevere.

Too often, we feel like to bounce back, we have to be strong and independent. We have to push past the difficulties and bounce back on our own. But the reality is, like the psalmist reminds us here, being able to wait and press on in the waiting is really about making sure you can lean on and depend on God to help you through it. Today, reach out to someone you know who has been following Jesus for a long time—a mentor, a small group leader, a parent, or a spouse. Ask them how they’ve learned to depend on God to help them press on in life.