Today's "vitamin" is perseverance

Oy vey!
Perseverance.
Hmmmm.
Patience, in some translations.
Thumbing through my concordance and my study books.

How many times have we asked the Lord for patience, and then wanted to clap our hand over our mouths? Or somehow take back those words?
After all, it's been said that if you pray for patience, the Lord will bring things into your life that try your patience.....that it's the only way to get any better!

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance;  (II Peter 1:5-6a)

I was kinda relieved as I studied, to see that Peter used a word that also means "steadfastness," or "endurance." Oh, OK. That's better! (Grin)
You see, in our Bibles, we see other words also used to explain the concept of perseverance.....diligence, endurance, waiting, etc.

So what do we need to add to our virtue, knowledge, and self control? Perseverance.
Peter is talking about someone who remains faithful even in the midst of fiery trials, negative circumstances, or seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
How many times have you heard someone chirp cheerfully, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going!" Personally, I would sometimes like to just glare at them. Just stare at them and let them think about what they just said to someone who they know nothing about.....they don't know my trials, my sorrows, my joys, nor my hope. BUT I guess it is a true saying, that we can rely on the Spirit and keep keeping on.....so I don't glare at them. (Grin)
David gave us many psalms where he encouraged us to wait hopefully on the Lord:

Wait for the Lord;    be strong and take heart    and wait for the Lord. (Psalm 27:14)

Many believers have given up because things got tough. No matter what the circumstance, we must remain devoted to our Savior -- the devil will tempt us to quit!

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. (Romans 12:12)

We must pray for others and for ourselves to have perseverance:

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, (Colossians 1:9-11)

The devil will use our trials to try and sway us. To make us think, I have prayed and prayed; why doesn't God answer? Why doesn't He do something? Keep on praying and working, believer!

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9)

Are we ready to give up today? Are we facing difficulties that seem insurmountable? Our prayers and our work is not in vain:

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. (I Corinthians 15:58)

Paul's words are some that we need to commit to memory, no?

Lord, help us to persevere; help us to be steadfast, and keep working for your glory!