A Picture of Perseverance

Last week I started a project in our kitchen that I thought would only take a few minutes. Well, I was wrong! It took over 10 hours and lots of energy exerted. It nearly got the best of me, but I somehow persevered and completed the task. I walked away bruised, battered, cut and exhausted, BUT victorious.

I was replacing a built-in oven. I thought since the old oven and new one were the same size (supposedly), that the new one would fit in the same hole. Well, the hole is a brick opening. I soon discovered that the new oven was about a 1/2" wider than the old one, therefore, it would not quite fit into the brick opening. Here is a picture of the hole I was putting the new oven into:

I unsuccessfully tried to push the new oven into the brick. Brick doesn't budge. I bent up the edges of the oven to attempt to get it to fit. Honestly, I beat on the oven edges, much to Amy's displeasure. Needless to say, it would not fit, and now the new oven was banged up. Amy was not feeling good about this "project." 

I then had to come up with a plan to get the brick opening to be 3/4" wider. That would mean either cutting out the opening with a saw blade or getting a hammer drill and attempting the chistle out the opening. Neither sounded like fun, especially since the opening would require me to take out a 23"x 27" brick section.

To make a long story shorter, I attempted to cut out the brick with a grinder and it didn't work. Me and the house were full of dust, and I was feeling defeated. However, I pressed on and went with the hammer drill option. After 6 hours of grueling drilling, I finally got the hole big enough to fit the oven. The kitchen was a mess, I was beat up, but it was done. Halleluiah!

Here's the end result:

What a great feeling of victory and perseverance! After all was said and done, it soon became a life metaphor for me. I have to ask myself daily, "Do I have that same amount of perseverance when it comes to my marriage, recovery, career, parenting, spiritual growth, friendship, the gospel of Christ, etc?" I sure hope so!

It was a powerful reminder to not quit or give in to despair and negativity. Unlike many years previously, I did not cuss myself, give in to anger, and feel completely disgusted during the struggle. I admit I questioned at times whether or not I would be victorious. I didn't enjoy it at times. And, I also wondered when should I give up and call someone. Well, through much sweat and prayer, it all came together.

The past two years of recovery have been at times like this oven project. Tough, overwhelming, the outcome uncertain, etc, but we have pressed through it all. God has been faithful, and we want to continually trust Him. He is growing us individually and as a couple. It is a journey of healing and maturity, that will definitely have its struggles. I am grateful for them, since so often we grow most due to struggles. Hebrews even says that Jesus was perfected because of His sufferings.

I needed a lesson on perseverance, and I got one this past week. I am so grateful for being victorious and not quitting. I want to apply that same mindset to my life. By the grace of God, I will. Now, everyday I look at that oven, I am reminded of the value of perseverance and not letting struggles defeat me too quickly.

I know there will be times that God says, "Let it go." There will also be times where He says, "Press on. Keep up the fight." I want to pray for wisdom to know the difference. That's a learning process for sure!

James 1:3-4 (NIV)

 ² Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,^[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.