There is something to be said for perseverance. Perseverance is that quality which fixes its gaze on a destination and refuses to turn back or aside in the face of weariness, disappointment, setbacks, or failure. The apostle Paul knew the need for perseverance, and he knew that perseverance is a necessary quality for those who want to love like Jesus. Three times, he follows an exhortation to "love" with an exhortation to "persevere" (1 Timothy 6:11, 2 Timothy 3:10, Titus 2:2). Jesus saw a connection too, praising the church at Thyatira for their "love and faith and service and perseverance" (Revelation 2:19). That's enough connection to convince me that if you take up a commitment to love somebody, you'd best be ready to push through weariness, setbacks, etc.
It helps to know where we're going. We're on a journey toward being more "like [Jesus]" (1 John 3:2), including the way He loves people. Jesus went so far as sacrificing His life for our benefit, which we can use as a measuring rod to determine if our problems are yet big enough to make us give up on loving somebody. When we feel like giving up, we can remember that Jesus "humbled himself... to the point of death" in His love for us (Philippians 2:8), and we can get back to persevering in our journey to become more like Him. It's sin that makes us want to stop loving people, and Hebrews 12:4 draws a clear goal for us in resisting sin. "You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin." Keep loving, until your love looks like Jesus' love!
So, while I'm tempted to take the night off - I'm tired, I don't have a good idea what to do, I deserve a break today [insert your own inadequate excuse here] - I'm going to resist the temptation. Backing off doesn't make me more like Jesus. It's better to persevere. Where I'm going looks more enticing than the prospect of staying where I am or of going back! It's going to be a long week for Karen. I think I'll get it started with some of those words that are like "apples of gold in settings of silver" (Proverbs 25:11). I'll wrap them in a hug and deliver them with a smile. It will probably be as good for me as it is for Karen!
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