When all else fails-Press On
“WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS-PRESS ON”
If you were to ask 100 people if they wanted to be a success in life, the odds are in your favor that all 100 would answer in the affirmative. It is very unlikely that anyone would deliberately choose to fail in life. But it is true, that it is the few who achieve real success or enjoy the results in their lives that they deliberately seek.
There are many reasons that cause people to fail. Unfortunately for some, they never really understood the laws that govern success. Many who are aware of these laws do not discipline themselves to apply those same laws. They have a casual approach to life and end up a casualty. To our own hurt, many of us have been guilty of neglecting a law or laws, that if we were more diligent and wise, could have avoided failure.
Years ago seven laws of success were revealed in a booklet by Mr. Armstrong. These laws, if applied diligently, will bring success to even those of us with little talent if we understand them and apply them correctly. The purpose of this article is to focus on only one of those seven laws.
There is an old saying-to succeed, be willing to pay the price or don't waste your time. It is true that a fair amount of success can be achieved, especially by highly talented super achievers without using this law to any great degree. But it is also true that sooner or later, even for the most talented, that this law must be applied if any success is to last. This law is the “Law of Perseverance” or as Mr. Armstrong referred to it, “stick-to-it-tive-ness.” Almost every human being at least once, and for some, several times during their life come to a place where there seems to be no way out. It appears that they have come to their end. Many give up and quit. For some, it has led to suicide. This is the time when perseverance is a must if there is to be hope. The law of Perseverance had the invisible power to turn what appears to be certain failure into success.
Some of the great men of the Bible came to the point of despair where they could endure no more and even prayed to God that they might die. The prophet Elijah ran from Jezebel for fear of his life and wanted to die. Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel to prove who the true God was. “And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there” (I Kings 18:40). “Then Jezebel sent a messenger to him and said, so let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time”(I Kings 19:2). When Elijah heard that, he ran for his life. He was in such despair that he requested for himself that he might die. “But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers”(I Kings 19:4).
The Bible revealed that Job also felt that he had come to his end and death was more appealing than life. Satan issued a challenge to God. So Satan answered the LORD and said, “Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not thou make an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power, only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD” (Job 1: 9-12). God allowed Satan to put Job to the test. All of Job's animals were either stolen or destroyed. Many of his servants were killed. Satan caused a great wind to collapse the house that Job's sons and daughters were in, killing them all.
Satan caused painful boils to form on Job from his head to his feet. Job's misery was so great that his wife urged him to curse God and die. “And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give fo his life. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life. So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes. Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? Curse God, and die. But he said unto her, Thou speaketh as one of the foolish women speaketh. What shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips” (Job 2:4-10).
Job opened his mouth and cursed his day. “He spoke and said, let the day perish where in I was born, and the night in which it was said, there is a man child conceived. Why died I not from the womb? Why did I not give up the spirit when I come out of the belly? (Job 3:1-3,11).
So many people, from the least to the greatest, have experienced times when it appears that their lives were over. If one is to have any hope in such a state, there is only one course of action. Exercise faith and trust in God and persevere.
The apostle Paul experienced many things that would have caused others to give up and quit, but there is no indication that Paul ever considered giving up of despairing unto death. Paul suffered many things as an apostle. “Are they ministers of Christ?-I speak as a fool-I am more; in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prison more frequent, in death often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fasting often, in cold and nakedness” (2Cor. 11:23-27).
The apostle Paul is among the finest examples of perseverance. In the face of all of his suffering it appears he never shirked his duty. He was a true follower of a suffering Christ and he expected no better treatment than his master. Paul's life should strengthen and encourage anyone when things get tough. The Bible reveals Paul's attitude and approach to his trials and suffering. “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed, we are perplexed, but not in despair, persecuted, but not forsaken, cast down, but not destroyed. Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body” (2 Cor. 4: 8-10).
Jesus said the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak, and he also suffered to the brims of his breaking point. “He went a little further and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me. Nevertheless not as I will, but as You will” (Matt. 26:39).
Jesus promised that He will never leave us or forsake us. “ There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Cor. 10:13).
When tested to the breaking point, remember the apostle Paul and persevere-press on-for there is nothing else to do. “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Phil. 3:13-14).
James D. Carlisle