Perseverance

2 Peter 1:5-8
5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Original Word: ὑπομονή
Transliteration: hupomoné
Phonetic Spelling: (hoop-om-on-ay')
Short Definition: enduring
Word Originfrom hupomenó
Definition a remaining behind, a patient enduring
NASB Word Usage endurance (7), patient enduring (1), perseverance (21), steadfastness (3).
enduring, patience, steadfast
From hupomeno; cheerful (or hopeful) endurance, constancy -- enduring, patience, patient continuance (waiting).


PERSEVE'RANCE, n. [L. perseverantia. See Persevere.]
1. Persistence in any thing undertaken; continued pursuit or prosecution of any business or enterprise begun; applied alike to good or evil.

Perseverance keeps honor bright.

Patience and perseverance overcome the greatest difficulties.



My Notes : I get so excited when I learn a knew thing, especially in the midst of something I already thought I knew. The study of the word perseverance gave the word such new depth to me. I think to us the word often means that we keep on trucking even when things are difficult, and it does mean that. But to truly have perseverance we must also have:


PATIENCE, n. pa'shens. [L. patientia, from patior, to suffer.]
1. The suffering of afflictions, pain, toil, calamity, provocation or other evil, with a calm, unruffled temper; endurance without murmuring or fretfulness. Patience may spring from constitutional fortitude, from a kind of heroic pride, or from christian submission to the divine will.
2. A calm temper which bears evils without murmuring or discontent.
3. The act or quality of waiting long for justice or expected good without discontent.
4. Perseverance; constancy in labor or exertion.
5. The quality of bearing offenses and injuries without anger or revenge.


ENDU'RANCE, n. [See Endure.] Continuance; a state of lasting or duration; lastingness.
1. A bearing or suffering; a continuing under pain or distress without resistance, or without sinking or yielding to the pressure; sufferance; patience.


STEADFASTNESS, STEDFASTNESS, n.
1. Firmness of standing; fixedness in place.
2. Firmness of mind or purpose; fixedness in principle; constancy; resolution; as the stedfastness of faith.





The word that this greek word came from also means: cheerful (or hopeful) endurance, constancy


CHEERFUL, a.
1. Lively; animated; having good spirits; moderately joyful. This is the most usual signification of the word, expressing a degree of animation less than mirth and jollity.
2. Full of life; gay; animated; mirthful; musical; as the cheerful birds.
3. Expressive of good spirits or joy; lively; animated.
A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance. Prov. 15.


HO'PEFUL, a. Having qualities which excite hope; promising or giving ground to expect good or success; as a hopeful youth; a hopeful prospect.
1. Full of hope or desire,with expectation.





CONSTANCY, n. [L., to stand.]
1. Fixedness; a standing firm; hence, applied to God or his works, immutability; unalterable continuance; a permanent state.
2. Fixedness or firmness of mind; persevering resolution; steady, unshaken determination; particularly applicable to firmness of mind under sufferings, to steadiness in attachments, and to perseverence in enterprise. Lasting affection; stability in love or friendship.
3. Certainty; veracity; reality.



WOW!!!! I found this one so very convicting. I think we believe that we're supposed to just suffer through, but we are supposed to have a constant patient endurance while being steadfast, cheerful and hopeful. I could go on and on about this, but I truly believe the conviction and guidance is in the definitions. Read them well. Look at them with honesty. Where are you falling short (I definitely have a few areas). I want you to also notice that what comes after perseverance is godlinss. I think we all desire to lead a more godly life, but if we are to attain it we must first learn to persevere. In our lives through our trials we must be immovable, unshakable, counting it all joy, trusting and being willing to wait for His timing. He is faithful!