One Bite at a Time

As I sat on the deck one evening, I watched a small sparrow dart in and out of a bird house. Each time it returned, it carried in its tiny beak a trinket of some kind; a twig; a piece of fluff; or a ragged, worn piece of fabric. I could only imagine the construction process going on behind that little hole. On one return trip, this tiny sparrow carried a twig that in length was bigger than its own body. I giggled outloud as it landed on the perch outside of the hole and tried to enter with the twig.

This sparrow pushed and pushed, trying to force this twig through the tiny opening, much like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Many times during the sparrow's attempt to force the twig through, it fell from the grasp of its tiny beak and landed on the ground beneath the birdhouse. The sparrow was not deterred! It would pick up the twig and fly right back to the perch and push some more. This scenario repeated itself over and over again and I found myself wanting to pick up the twig and put it in the hole myself and even thought, why don't he just quit trying? But I continued to watch as tiny beads of sweat formed on its tiny little feathered forehead. (okay not really but...) Finally, one last push and the twig bent and the sparrow and the twig were in the hole! I imagined this tiny little bird, exhausted from its labor, collasping on the pile of debris inside the birdhouse and I wondered if it felt some sort of pride in its accomplishment and determination.

Many of us face trials in our lives that at times have us feeling like we are that sparrow. We push and push; we start over and over again, wondering if our efforts are ever going to succeed. This my friend is called perserverance. Perserverance is the patient endurance of harship; persiting in a state or enterprise in spite of difficulties and discouragement.

Romans 5:3 tells us this about perserverance: "...we also rejoice in our suffering, because we know that suffering produces perserverance; perserverance, character; and character, hope.

James 1:2-4 says: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith is develops perserverance. Perseverance must finish it work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

The point of perserverance is not to pretend to be happy when things are tough, but to have a positive outlook on our circumstances. We can never fully see the depth of our character until we see how we react under pressure. Instead of complaining about our struggles or simply giving up, we should use these trials as an opportunity to grow.

There is a saying, "There is only one way to eat an elephant...one bite at a time." Whether our elephant to eat is the many things we have to accomplish, a physical condition we have to live with, a broken relationship or a nest to build, if we do it one bite at a time, we can finish it. We would love to wish our worries away, but unfortunately, the world doesn't stop when we get tired and problems don't just go away. Instead, we need to dig in with whatever tools we have; faith, hope, and prayer, setting our eyes on the prize.

The ant would never have moved that rubber tree plant, without high hopes; the sparrow would have never finished its nest without sheer determination, and we can't eat that elephant unless we take one bite at a time. Through it all remember, we have the solid Rock of God to lean on! I'll leave you with this: "Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

Until next time, taking one bite at a time,
God Bless,
Cat