Perseverance

Perseverance is defined as constant persistence in a course of action, purpose, or state, steadfast pursuit of an aim, tenacious assiduity or endeavor.—The Oxford English Dictionary

Perseverance is closely aligned with endurance and fortitude. Perseverance, a soul virtue and an initiatory degree, is continuance in a state of grace, leading finally to a state of glory. You may characterize your perseverance with dogged determination or deliberate joyousness; the former makes your task grimly onerous, the latter a pleasure.

Edna Lister on Perseverance

It takes good old-fashioned perseverance to form new, constructive habits.—Edna Lister, Life In a Nutshell, "The Burden of Habit," 1942.

To be unhampered by emotional jags, you must use great discrimination in choosing your attitudes toward life, then follow them with perseverance and courage under all conditions.—Edna Lister, "Bite Your Tongue," Life In a Nutshell, 1943.

The dictionary says that perseverance means "the steadfast, tenacious pursuit of a goal." It also defines perseverance as "maintaining a state of grace until it becomes a state of glory." This describes living in your higher creative center of intuition and illumination. You persevere in prayer by ascending, and remain where poise is found, at the fount of Power. You must remain constant, holding but one idea of living by the higher faculties.—Edna Lister, Do You Always Wear Your Armor? November 15, 1953.

All obstacles become a challenge for the initiate to practice steadfastness and perseverance.—Edna Lister, Eight Great Powers of Being, June 23, 1959.

Your work must equal the Power flowing through you, and you must back it with perseverance, persistence, and a continuous soul need to reach higher, to understand, to comprehend more.—Edna Lister, April 27, 1962.

Your difficulty is that you do not persevere in prayer.—Edna Lister, Love, Your Radar, November 17, 1963.

Your faith, courage and perseverance, in action and expression, come under your relationship to God. These three qualities are the stuff of which conquerors are made, qualities of the restless soul, surging, demanding changes in life, in body, in business, in comprehension. Nothing is too hard or too long to the persevering soul. Light can outlast any darkness, and make any weakness into strength.—Edna Lister, Comprehension and Recompense, November 7, 1965.

You know that you must persevere to overcome the obstacles that challenge you, but do not use personal will. Perseverance comes from looking for guidance from above.—Edna Lister, Great Powers of Being, October 18, 1966.

New Testament on Perseverance

Tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.—Romans 5:3‑4.

Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.—James 5:11.

Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.—2 Peter 1:5‑9.