perseverance

gospel reference: matthew 15: 21-28
based on the sermon/series: getting God's attention
enlightened at: trinity@paya lebar

besides possessing faith, perseverance is required in order to gain God's attention sometimes. just like the Canaanite woman in the passage, there are many times in our own lives that we feel like God has abandoned us and is not responding to our prayers. but just like Jesus to the Canaanite woman, perhaps God is simply keeping quiet, as a test of our faith and waiting for the right time to minister our requests to us. in the passage, the Canaanite woman not only had to content with Jesus' silence, she then faced rejection from His disciples followed by an open rejection from Jesus. but that did not deter her and we can see her perseverance pay off right at the end of the passage - when Jesus healed her daughter.

similarly, during times when our prayers are not answered, instead of giving up, thinking that "maybe God has forsaken me", persevere and look out. while perseverance reinforces our faith in God, we too need to look out - for our rewards or for any signs from God. because often in our obsession in seeing our prayers fulfilled, we miss out on the other things God intend for us, choosing instead to dwell in our dejection and seeming rejection by God.

therefore, let's show our faith and not give up easily on God. let's persevere even when God keeps quiet. there is light at the end of the tunnel...but only if you walk to the very end of it.