Some of the other synonyms for grit include bravery, pluck,
mettle, backbone, spirit, strength of character, strength of will, moral fiber,
steel, nerve, fortitude, toughness, hardness, resolution, determination,
tenacity, perseverance, and endurance. What a list! But, you could just say
that grit is having keep-on-going guts and spunk. Hmm, it also fits the Jewish
word, chutzpah.
Angela Duckworth defines grit with the words “passion and
perseverance.” She said that grit is “living life like it’s a marathon, not a
sprint.” And—this is important—grit has a “growth mindset,” which means that
“failure is not a permanent condition” but an opportunity to learn and move
forward. Aren’t you glad to know that?
David Jeremiah said grit is endurance and being a “faithful
fanatic.” It seems that’s just another way to say persevering passion.
A person who has grit fits the definition, too, of one who
has courageous faith. This is a person who is an overcomer. No obstacle is a
stop sign. The Lord Jesus affirms having this type of grit. We read in chapters
2 and 3 of Revelation of the gifts He promises for those who overcome. In
Revelation 2:10 (AMP), He says, “Because you have kept the word of My endurance
[My command to persevere], I will keep you [safe] from the hour of trial, that
hour which is to come on the whole [inhabited] world, to those who live on the
earth.”
So, knowing what grit is and its value, how, where do we get
it?
One thing is for sure, one must have gumption first. That’s
the getting up part of the “go” of grit. Gumption gets you off your comfortable
seat and grit moves you forward. You could say that gumption is the belief
battery that makes you obedient which in turn, like the Energizer Bunny, gives
you the grit to keep on going.
So, to get grit, you rise up in obedience to the Lord your
God. And since true grit comes from the strength we get from a heart that
trusts God, here’s a great verse we can pray for ourselves, Colossians 1:11
(TLB)—
Lord, help me to be filled with Your mighty, glorious strength so that
I can keep going (persevering) no matter what happens—always full of the
(passionate) joy of the Lord.
This is exactly what my friend, Lee Nienhuis, writes of in
“Brave Moms, Brave Kids.” I’m honored to have been reading an advance copy of
her book and to be a part of her book’s launch team. I definitely wish I’d had
her book in my hands when my children were little ones, but I’m glad I have it
now as a resource.
Lee is a brave mom who knows her Jesus! She wrote: “A hero
[one with grit in my words] is a faith-filled child of God who so believes in
the goodness, worthiness, and faithfulness of God that she is obedient to His
call on her life in public and private. Heroes…stand when their knees shake.
…Heroes finish the race.” Lee, a Moms in Prayer area coordinator and a Precepts
Bible study leader, added that heroes “know it will be messy, bloody, and hard,
but they refuse to give up on their God just because the journey is difficult.”
Lee wrote her book, “Brave Moms, Brave Kids,” to help us moms
realize that the first hero must be, you guessed it, us! That is, after Jesus, of course. We must be the brave ones first. She
is right on. We must display the gumption and guts for them to emulate. It’s
our job, our ministry, as their parent.
If you want to learn more about being a brave mom, Lee
Nienhuis’ book, “Brave Moms, Brave Kids,” is available now for preorder. Here is a link to her website where you
can learn about my friend, Lee. And click here for a link to preorder “Brave Moms, Brave Kids.”
Therefore, since we do hold and engage in this ministry by the mercy of
God [granting us favor, benefits, opportunities, and especially salvation], we
do not get discouraged (spiritless and despondent with fear) or become faint
with weariness and exhaustion.
2 Corinthians 4:1
AMPC
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