About this study
This study can be done personally or with a friend. Check out the download section at the end of this study for offline and printable versions which include teacher’s notes.

We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. [3] Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.

Hebrews 12:2-3 NLT

Life is a long distance race.

Focusing on Jesus leaves us without excuse about hardship, and gives us encouragement to keep going because he is the ultimate example.

Jesus was focused on the good outcome, not on the pain of the sacrifice, but on the joy.

What is perseverance?

Perseverance is the continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, discouragement or opposition. To persevere is to persist and not give up.

How do I persevere?

Jesus had vision and focused on God and the final outcome of his sacrifice instead of focusing on his pain.

It’s all a matter of perspective

We make excuses when we quit and usually feel justified in doing so.

Who is someone successful that you look up to?

Everyone feels like quitting sometimes. The people you look up to and have heard about are the ones who didn’t quit.

Thomas Edison – Inventor

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.

I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.

Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.

Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.

Thomas Edison is one of the most famous inventors of all time. Just to name a few – electric power generation, mass communication, sound recording, incandescent electric light bulb and the phonograph.

Your goal

What’s an area of your life you need to persevere in?

Bigger than you

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. [8] Love never fails.

1 Corinthians 13:7-8 NIV

Love never quits

God helps us love and gives us a reason bigger than us so we can push through anything. Our own motivation isn’t enough, we need to love someone else more.

What’s your motive?

Why do you want to change and not quit? Why do you think it’s important to have a reason to push through?

Are you a quitter?

Is there a certain time in your life that you wanted to give up but persevered? How about a time when you quit? What were your reasons for both?

Having a goal is extremely important, otherwise you have no reason to keep going; quitting is easy. What do you love that’s bigger than yourself? How can love be a motivator?

Never give up

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.

Luke 18:1 NIV

I spill out my heart to you and tell you all my troubles. [3] For when I was desperate, overwhelmed, and about to give up, you were the only one there to help. You gave me a way of escape from the hidden traps of my enemies.

Psalm 142:2-3 TPT

Persevere in prayer

Many people just pray through something one time and quit when it doesn’t get answered. Jesus understood this and encouraged us to keep praying.

Honest in the struggle

Praying and crying out to God about your feelings and when you want to quit is when you can see God gives you a reason to keep going!

What is an area of your life that you want to quit in? Why?

How do your prayers need to change in order to overcome it?

Decision

Age wrinkles the body. Quitting wrinkles the soul.

Douglas MacArthur
  • Talk it through: How can God help you persevere and not quit?
  • Take action: What are you going to change with God in order to develop perseverance?

Walk through step by step what it would take to change. The leader should think through some of this ahead of time. Be as detailed as possible.

  • What steps will this decision involve?
  • When will you do them?
  • Possible pitfalls?
  • Who will you ask to help hold you accountable?

Next steps

This section is meant to be done together over the next 1-2 weeks. Set up times to do some of these together or to do them separately and then talk about what you learned.

  1. Read together: Jacob’s Story: Genesis 27-33, Book of Esther – how do Jacob and Esther persevere through obstacles? Talk with a friend about what you learned
  2. Watch together: MJ – “Failing”, Serena Williams – “Never Quit
  3. Do together: Listen to Spotify Perseverance Playlist with a friend and talk about which songs motivate you to want to persevere and why

Further study

Deep Spirituality logo

This article was created by a member of the Deep Spirituality editorial team.

Deep Spirituality logo

This article was created by a member of the Deep Spirituality editorial team.

Our first book is officially live.

Rebuild your relationship from the ground up with He's Not Who You Think He Is: Dropping Your Assumptions and Discovering God for Yourself.

Fearless Series: Perseverance 6