Why do we think perseverance is an essential character trait? May experience ba kayo nung students kayo that require perseverance?

Jello: I have to do side jobs, while keeping up with my studies, thesis, and OJT,  so I can contribute to pay my tuition fee. I did hosting gigs, and worked on wedding events coordination. I learned to persevere early on in life.

John: God has great things in store for us. Perseverance helps us to get to the promise that God has set for us, even though there are temptations to give up or to settle for less. 

Kat: Nung student pa ako, kailangan ko na magpursige dahil hindi ako kayang pag-aralin ng parents ko. My dad died early, and I was the eldest. Perseverance serves as a stepping stone for me to reach my goal. Since my freshman year nung college, naging working student ako. May mga times na umiiyak na ako sa gilid kasi gusto ko nang mag-give up. Nagwowork ako sa isang fast-food chain, and nagho-host ng parties. Pagod na physically pero wala ako magawa kasi kailangan ko mag-aral. Perseverance molded me to move forward in life.

John: Nung college, pinili ko ang mahirap na buhay. Course ko Architecture, tapos naglaro pa ako sa UST, Men’s Volleyball. Puno yung schedule ko ng classes and trainings. Ang daming kailangan i-sacrifice. At the end of the day, iisipin mo future mo, at ano makukuha mo after this. At alam mo lang na eventually sulit mga sacrifices. Ayaw ng coach ko, mag-archi ako, ayaw din ng archi na mag-athlete ako. I just have this deep conviction na ito yung binigay sa akin ni God, pareho akong passionate sa dalawa, nag-eenjoy akong gawin kahit mahirap. It was worth pursuing. I saw the value of what I’m doing kaya ako nagpe-persevere. 

Dave: Some people persevere out of passion or choice, some people persevere because they have no choice. But the common denominator here is that there is a bigger purpose and passion at play. There is a dream planted in our hearts.

How do we fight the temptation to be complacent or to give up?

Kath: I was driven by necessity, pero what helped me is to take a pause. Break ko yung pag-hangout ko with friends. I need to discipline myself to think na hindi lang ito buhay ko. I need to do something I really like. Yung natutunan ko sa church community, ay yung nilo-look forward ko yung fellowship, kahit pagod na pagod ako nun, nare-refresh ako when I meet with my friends. Meron akong series of meeting other people, and do what I love just to have a break sa mga bagay na lagi kong ginagawa. 

Jello:

• Seeing the purpose behind this gives us determination
• Seeing the value, not just the need for what we do. When we see the value, it gives us the will to persevere.

What happened after you persevered?

John: 20 kami nag-start mag-try out. Eventually ako na lang natira sa batch ko, pero from that na-experience ko maging part ng championship team. I graduated on time, I got to practice what I do, madali nakakuha ng trabaho. Hindi lang siya about sa na-achieve ko, pero the highlight ay yung character na na-build sa akin, at yung mga natutunan at na-ambag sa pagkatao ko.

Kat: I graduated on time, and with latin honors. God really rewards when you persevere. Bonus nalang yung nagkaroon ng award, kasi ang pinaka-goal ko ay makapagtapos, makapagtrabaho, at matulungan family ko. Pero I got more. As you practice perseverance in your life, it’s like you are building stepping stones towards your destination. It was difficult, and it took years, pero it was all worth it, because I was the first one in our family to graduate from college. Ang daming na-uunlock after that experience. 

Jello: While you’re there and while you’re at it, hindi siya madali. Ang daming sacrifices and ang daming pain. In order to persevere, you have to endure. If endurance is to remain strong despite the challenges, perseverance gives you the ability to move forward while you endure. The bigger reward was what was developed inside of you, your intimacy with God during the process, yung spiritual stamina to prepare you for what is ahead, and prepares you for leadership. 

One of the recipes to help you persevere in life is discipline. Fixing your eyes on the ultimate, rather than being a slave to the immediate or the urgent.

John: When we see the value of what we are doing, it’s easy to know what we need to prioritize. Okay lang ma-experience yung pain ngayon, kasi makikita mo yung prize after this. It helps us to put things in perspective. Discipline is not given to you just because you did something bad, but discipline is given to you for you to be given a new muscle, and to improve a certain skill. Likewise, ganun din si God, God knows our capacity and dinadala niya tayo dun through discipline. God disciplines us because He loves us, ayaw niya tayo manatili dito lang. Kahit na gusto natin mag-quit, pero we know na ginagawa natin to kasi may papatunguhan tayo.

Jello:  For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. -Hebrews 12:11 

All discipline is hard and not pleasant. But as we go through it, we’ll look back and say na buti nalang pinagdaanan ko yun. This is about healthy discipline na may love. 

Dave: …and discipline that brings you closer to your purpose. 

Kath:  Good time management helped me develop the discipline in life. One of the practical things I do is I write down my priorities. Nakakatulong sa akin na nakikita ko siya. It helped me  to focus. People perish when there is no vision (Proverbs 29:18). Kahit na mahirap gawin, lalaban ka pa rin, you’ll discipline yourself whether you like it or not. Grace ni Lord na pinapaala niya sa atin yung vision from time to time. 

Jello: There is value in perseverance, kapag nakita natin yung purpose. May redemption sa dulo, they will bear fruit in the end. Mag-persevere lang tayo. We can rely on the grace of God that strengthens us. The difference between persevering from our own might, and yung galing kay God is that we know na pwede tayo bumitaw from time to time because hindi lang sa atin naka-depende ang future natin. God holds your future and He’s already there. We can walk by faith. Don’t travel alone, build relationships with mentors and communities to help you get there. 

Today on Campus is hosted by Dave Estrera and Jello de los Reyes. In this episode, they are joined by Kat Fuentes and John Depante. Feel free to message us on Instagram, @todayoncampus.