Look around you. Something is going on somewhere in your country, your town, your neighborhood or your family that’s got someone upset, nervous, or in panic mode—maybe even you. Cancer. Disaster. Job loss. Death. Enemy attack.

Most of us like to plan and control our environment so that our loved ones (and ourselves) can rest, relax, and be productive. These interruptions to life are very hard to bear. So, we try to escape to something that makes it go away for a while—a feel-good movie, book, or a retreat. But, then we get back to the rough-and-tumble of real life and find that whatever is stressing us is still there. Most stressors don’t last just for a day—more like a month or year or even a decade. Right?

In order to not only survive but also to thrive over a lifetime of ups and downs, we need to have something called perseverance, something the Bible says is good for us. But, perseverance is only learned when there is a challenge to our comfort. And, who likes that?

Happy studying!