power of his resurrection, and may
share his sufferings, becoming like
him in his death, that by any means
possible I may attain the resurrection
from the dead. (Philippians 3:7–11) With that, he signed off on his letter
penned in a dungeon in Rome. The next
time he saw the sun, he walked the
Ostian Road, just outside the city, to
the place where he would be beheaded.
Paul never changed his tune. In his
final letter, endurance was the refrain.
He used six Greek words to emphasize
endurance; they ’re translated in
English as “share in suffering” (2
Timothy 1:8; 2:3), “am suffering” (2:9);
“endure suffering” (4:5); “endure” (2:10,
12); “patiently enduring evil” (2:24);
“patience” (3:10; 4:2); “steadfastness”
(3:10); and “endured” (3:11). How to Train Grit
We’ve already identified from Hebrews
12 two foundations of grit. First,
you look around to others you’re
responsible to and responsible for.
Second, you look ahead at the reward
you’ll reap through perseverance. In
that light, how can we gain grit?
In the end, here’s Paul’s conclusion:
I have fought the good fight, I have
finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Henceforth there is laid up for me the
crown of righteousness, which the
Lord, the righteous judge, will award
to me on that day, and not only to
me but also to all who have loved his
appearing. (4:7–8)
42 • Solutions
While there’s no magic wand or silver
bullet for growing grit, here are five
suggestions:
1. Accept delayed gratification. Forgoing
present pleasure for long-term gain is
the starting point for any gritty person.
The spiritual disciplines of fasting and
prayer are practical exercises that
enable this skill to spill over into all
areas of your life.