The ancient Jewish people told a story of the patriarch Jacob. One night he met a man and wrestled with him until daybreak. The man was strong and wrestled Jacob’s hip out of joint. Still Jacob wrestled. At daybreak, the man wanted to go, but Jacob refused to let him until the man gave him a blessing. The man gave a blessing. Jacob realized he had wrestled with G*d. But Jacob limped ever afterward.
Jesus told a story about an unjust judge. A widow was persistent in asking for justice. In the end, against his nature, the unjust judge gave in to her request because she keep asking. Jesus said, G*d is better than the unjust judge and will always grant justice. But keep asking. I imagine someone asked Jesus a question: “Why be persistent?” Jesus answered, "Let me tell you a story ..." As you listen to the story you understand. The moral of the stories: be persistent and you will receive a blessing; be persistent and G*d will answer your prayers.
Persistence is continuing doggedly in the same direction despite any kind of opposition or difficulty. It’s needed because life is full of oppositions and difficulties. Back in the 1980s I remember wanting to get fit. I’d read a report in the local newspaper that exercise is good for you and urged us to enter the local fun run (a 10K road race). No worries, I thought. I donned my 80s tracksuit and trainers (sneakers) and set out confidently at a brisk pace. Before a quarter mile I was out of breath, stitch in my side, and legs already beginning to ache. By the time I returned home after circling the local housing estate I was done for. That 10K fun run seemed impossible. I realized quickly, as anyone does who sets a fitness goal, that to achieve it requires persistence.
I remember, too, the first time I sat in the driver's seat in a car and tried to get the "biting point" between clutch and accelerator in first gear. Impossible! Persistence needed.
In tai chi the posture “snake creeps down” requires you to squat down on one leg, heel flat of the floor, other leg outstretched, foot including heel flat on the floor. Truly impossible. Most new students say, “I'll never be able to do that!” “Yes you will,” I reply. “All you need is persistence. Do a little every day. One day you will find yourself all the way to the floor without realizing it!” With persistence most students manage it.
Truth is, nothing worth having comes to us without persistence. The universe delivers her blessings to us liberally … after persistence.
Our culture would have us believe something different. In the ads, stuff comes to us quickly and easily and without persistence. If it doesn't come easy it’s not worth trying. In the face of that, to learn persistence seems counterintuitive. Recently, I was going through a student’s paper carefully with her. I pointed out all the grammar issues, construction issues, and fallacies in her argument. I showed her how to write a better paper. “I'll never be able to do that!” she responded. So, I told her that before I deliver a paper at a conference it will have been through probably at least a dozen drafts; that before publication it will go through numerous more; that writing is revising and revising, wrestling with the ideas, wrestling with expression, wrestling with form and construction. Writing is persistence.
It seems the universe might not easily deliver its blessing. Persistence required!
+Ab. Andy
(Incidentally, Jane and I both completed the Rochdale 10K fun run in 1983. I went on to found a running club and ran many 10Ks and a few half marathons.)