Psychologist Angela Duckworth has
done extensive research on what
determines success. She studied
thousands of individuals at the US
Military Academy at West Point and
at the National Spelling Bee as well
as salespeople and rookie teachers in
tough neighborhoods.
The answer she discovered is not IQ. Nor
is it wealth, race, or physical prowess.
The answer is grit, defined as “passion
and perseverance for very long-term
goals.”
We know this to be true. So how can we
apply it to our spiritual lives? How do
we gain grit?
Two keys for gaining grit are embedded
in our core passage. First, you look
around to others you’re responsible to
and responsible for. Second, you look
ahead at the reward you’ll reap through
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perseverance. To quote Jesus, “By your
endurance you will gain your lives”
(Luke 21:19).
So who are these witnesses around
us? They are described in Hebrews 11,
which traces our spiritual heritage from
Abel to Abraham and on through Moses,
David, and the prophets. Though they
may seem far way, this passage appeals
to us to keep them in mind: “All these,
though commended through their faith,
did not receive what was promised,
since God had provided something
better for us, that apart from us they
should not be made perfect” (verses
39–40). In light of their sacrifice, we
run our own races. They’re not the beer-
bellied fans in the stands. They’re the
weatherworn champions who finished
their races and now stand beside our
lanes, cheering us on. They know well
the sacrifice and suffering we’re going
through.