Steadfast. It is not a word we hear very often, but I woke up with it front and center in my mind. WOW did I ever need to get its meaning down in my soul!  

 

I looked up scriptures pertaining to being steadfast, and it took no time to see that if I am serious about being a follower of Jesus Christ, being steadfast is key.

 

Being steadfast is unusual. Our world trends toward, “Who’s next? What’s next?” Or, “If I don’t get my way, I’m outta here.”

 

But the truth is: being steadfast is the only way to manifest God‘s BEST in our lives!

Instantaneously

immediately

quickly…are rarely the way we produce (if ever) fruit bearing results.

 

The process

the journey

the development over time…that’s where we will see amazing transformation of becoming like Christ!

 

Do we do what we say we are going to do?

Do we show up?

Do we bow to our ever changing emotions?

Do we shut down when we are offended?

Do we act differently around certain people?

 

If  so, we have a bad case of being FLAKY!

 

When we are steadfast we care more about what God wants than what we want. That’s when we will see God’s BEST come to fruition.

 

This is/was so hard for me, especially in my youth and in my 20’s. Being steadfast was not in my vocabulary or in my vision! And today I am a long way from where I need to be, but I do see the intense importance of it: in my faith in Jesus, in my marriage, in my parenting, in my job, in taking care of my body, in my Christian service, and in growing and developing relationships with the people in my world. I WILL NOT be flaky!! I WILL strive to be steadfast!  

So today I’m sharing with you a sampling of scriptures, in hopes that you will be inspired and encouraged to NOT. GIVE. UP. AND. NEVER. WAVER.

 

Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

Corinthians 15:58  Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Hebrews 3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end.

2 Thessalonians 3:5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

James 1:12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

Hebrews 10:35-36 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.

2 Peter 1:5-7 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

Ephesians 4:14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.

Psalm 112:6-7 Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever. They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the LORD.

Isaiah 26:3-4 You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal.

Psalm 57:7 My heart, O God, is steadfast, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music.

Job, Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Joshua, Ruth, David, Nehemiah, Esther, Daniel, John, Paul…just to name a few…were steadfast.

 

But when they were misunderstood, slandered, cheated, hated, overlooked, devastated by loss…fill in the blank…their steadfastness led to great God-glorifying victory.

 

Honestly, at times it feels like torture to the soul! Can I just give up already? So-and-so did! Why should I choose to stand firm when the whole world seems to be as flaky as my Grandmother’s biscuits!

 

BUT to be steadfast is a choice, much different than being involuntarily stuck. We choose to stick it out because we know God is pleased when we do and He will reward us. He will be glorified! We know it is the right thing, and that is what we must choose rather than how we feel.

 

Whew! 

 

We will be tempted to give up and believe it’s just not worth it…but can we be steadfast anyway? I think we can…no…I know we can! And we will be so glad we did.