The Pits of Life and the Power to Persevere in Faith

Brooke Hackman

11 minutes ago

4 min read

Scripture

Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Proverbs 4:25-26 (ESV)

Are you living in a trying season? Is it taking all you have to put one foot in front of the other? I pray this devotion on persevering in faith encourages you to keep moving forward. With Christ, all things are possible.

I have always been fascinated by that split second before you get devastating news or enter a wilderness season you never saw coming. That 60-second block of time when you are none the wiser and life is calm and ‘normal’; the stage of life you will refer to as “the good old days” in the future.

And one minute later, between one minute and the next, things change. The car runs the red light, the phone rings, and awful news follows your obligatory “hello.” Or the time you get cheated on or lied to, only to learn that loyalty is measured in proof, and words are only as powerful as the intent and enforcement behind them.

In the limbo of being none the wiser about calamity and blessed ignorance, God gives us a choice. A choice to find Him or a choice to ignore Him. An option to make excuses and find someone or something to blame. A path to take charge of or be consumed by. In this choice, you have the freedom to thrive or an excuse to spiral.

According to Merriam-Webster, perseverance is a noun meaning continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition.

Autumn park scene with blurred bench and white inspirational quote by Brooke Hackman, leightonlane.com.

Here are some items I have personally persevered through:

Being an orphan from India, adopted by an American family, and raised in rural Oklahoma (dare I say quite different in many ways from the place and people of my birth).
Enduring three months of strict and relentless bed rest at my local hospital while pregnant with my middle child due to placenta previa (he was later born at 35 weeks).
In 2017, my four-year-old son was diagnosed with leukemia (found during his annual well-check exam). Three months after diagnosis, he underwent a bone marrow transplant from his younger brother (see bullet 2). Today, he is a beautiful and smelly teenager who constantly reminds me that God is still in the business of miracles and inexplicable peace.
I traveled to India in 2019 to adopt a little girl of my own, an orphan just like myself. Side note: when I was 8 years old, God told me to do this. I always knew it would happen in my life- I just didn’t know when.
The death of my mother in the fall of 2025. She had dementia for 8 years, but her last year with us on Earth was the most difficult and sobering for my family. Still, my family watched my father care for her in ways only Hallmark cards dare describe as true love.

I say all that to say this: all those events were precipitated by a 60-second headwind of blissful ignorance about what I perceived to be stability, uninterrupted health, genuine acceptance, and a comfortable life. After the hammers fell, I had to choose what to do in each situation to make perseverance a verb, not just a catchy phrase on a bumper sticker. Remember that faith, in and of itself, is holy perseverance.

God will give you the power to persevere in faith

There were days I cried out to God to give me one ounce of faith, to reward my faith, and to think beyond my faith so I'd have something to look forward to. Persevering doesn't end after a tragic or upending event. Even though I have been in the middle of miracles, sometimes I think in common terms. Sometimes the greatest act of persevering is staying in faith and positivity when life feels like it should be more. On so many levels, we are all empowered to do great things but only encouraged to survive.

But growth doesn't happen in stasis. Perhaps stasis is the opposite of persistence in action.

I want to encourage you, if this time in your life is like none you’ve ever experienced before (in a harrowing or unsettling way), to push forward 60 seconds at a time, with full confidence that God is right there with you. He can more than handle your confusion, doubt, and fury. In these moments and pits of life, God shows up-because love shows up. And He loves you more than any facet of the human condition could try to convince you otherwise.

If you find yourself weary and wavering between perseverance and giving up, please pray for the power to persevere in faith.

Autumn leaves behind a frosted quote card with Proverbs 4:25-26 and leightonlane.com in white script on a warm brown background.

Questions for Reflection

What is your personal definition of perseverance? What do you consider God's to be?
Is there someone in your life who could use a word of encouragement today?

Let’s Pray

God, thank you for feeling my pain and confusion with me today. There are times I don’t even have the words to press ahead, so thank you for your Holy Spirit so that He can call out to you on my behalf. Right now, life is difficult and confusing, but I choose to have faith in you. Grant me clarity and a resolute spirit that draws from your word. Remind me of all the ways you have shown up in my life before now, as proof that you love and care for me. And I pray for your favor and a peace that transcends my understanding to saturate my life. Amen

Meet Our Guest Writer

Brooke R. Hackman is an accomplished overthinker (which is why she likes to write so much), and she strives to bring connection and perspective to all her creative endeavors, especially those centered on self-enrichment and personal meaning. Brooke is also working on a soon-to-be children’s book on adoption.

Brooke has a BA in Electronic Broadcast Journalism from Washburn University. She is also the social media and communications coordinator for her church’s adoption and foster care ministry, a freelance writer, blogger, and marketing copywriter.

When not working, she enjoys RV trips with her husband and three beautiful children. Her hobbies include watching college football, taking walks, and spending time with her family (including their two dogs) because that’s where the best memories are made.