PERSISTENCY (To sail through this year and the coming years with)

This life is a battle, indeed! It is a battle of victory and defeat. The struggle begins for each man right from the womb, as some thick liquid fighting for survival. If victory is won, then there'd be another battle in the womb for life -- for food, for water, and oxygen. After this, the next is the greatest, fiercest phase -- the final exit through painful labour into this life. And, here is where real persistency is needful!

At first, the feeling is good, sweet and familial. There is this sweetness we get from a sense of belongingness and acceptance. After all, as toddlers, whatever we need, all we need to do is to cry. And, help would swiftly come! But, as we grow and become men and women, pain! And, at this point is where the real persistency is most needful.

We face quandaries. We scarcely rest. We battle disappointments, and face threats. Yes, threats from life itself. We have aims; we try to fight on for them; but on the way, we stumble, and lose control. Here is where we need to show persistency! We see the objects of happiness in our lives; we waste all our time on it in a bid to save it for ourselves; yet in the end, all our efforts prove totally anomalous. We study so hard for tests; we hope to pass well; but when the results come, we fail. And true, this is where we need persistency!

Whatever we want in this life will never come easily. That is the truth. After all, isn't life itself fighting against us? And, isn't the fight a sink-or-swim affair? Isn't it a pedal-or-stop journey? Yes, it is. But, what gives us the victory is PERSISTENCY. And this means holding on hard till we win. This means not giving up till we get what we want. And the rule is that: If you do not give up, you will win.

Personally, I have tried it. It works! It really works. And it works best with patience. At times it is hard. It feels that a precious thing is being lost. But in reality, nothing is actually lost. It is unbelief and uncertainty that make us feel so. Sometimes we give up when we nearly got it. Now, because this rule works, that is what I always use. You know the secrets: PATIENCE. PERSISTENCY.

ISAAC ESSOUN
(By the grace of God)