Persevering when the goal seems very far away

Perseverance is more than just sticking it out; it’s about having faith. Yes, we must stick with our efforts, while still keeping in mind God’s own timing.

Help Aleteia continue its mission by making a tax-deductible donation. In this way, Aleteia's future will be yours as well.

Donate with just 3 clicks

*Your donation is tax deductible!

Life often feels like the proverbial long and winding road — especially when our goals seem far away and our efforts fruitless. No matter what we’re trying to achieve (be it getting in shape, saving for a dream, or launching a project), the journey will always be challenging and full of setbacks. That’s why keeping perseverance and the lessons it teaches us in sight is fundamental.

The Bible constantly shows the power of being steadfast. Just think about Moses’ journey out of Egypt. According to biblical narrative, he spent 40 years wandering through the desert, sustained by God’s promise of a land flowing with milk and honey. Like Moses’ own, our goals may seem far off — but it’s our faith and perseverance that will guide us through the desert of our doubts and difficulties.

Growing during tough times

St. John of the Cross, the great Iberian mystic and Doctor of the Church, wrote extensively on the dark night of the soul — a period of stark spiritual desolation. Although his texts address this night in fundamentally mystic terms, they also speak to our everyday struggles. We all experience times when our efforts seem futile and our prayers go unanswered. But it’s in these dark times that our faith grows stronger. We learn to fly blind, trusting the instruments we have at hand: faith, hope, grace.

In his Letter to the Romans, Paul speaks of perseverance and endurance: “we […] boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope” (Romans 5:3-4). Our struggles are not in vain. They help us grow, build our character, and make us even more hopeful. Nobody sees the fruits of labor right away. As a farmer, we plant the seeds, water them, and then wait patiently for the harvest.

In short, we have to trust the process, especially when we can’t see immediate results.

Perseverance is more than just sticking it out; it’s about having faith. Sure, we have to make sure to stick with our efforts — but keeping in mind God’s own timing. No matter how long the road ahead may be or how dark the night, the sun will always rise. As we look back on it all, we’ll see that every step we took was necessary — and worth it.