Throughout both the Old Testament and the New Testament there are references to a person’s heart, that is, our character. Proverbs 4:23 tells us to guard our heart because it is “the wellspring of life.” What is in our hearts sooner or later shows up in our day-to-day life. God is concerned about our character; he cares about what is in our hearts. In chapter 4 of Paul’s letter to the Romans he tells us that perseverance produces character (Romans 5:4a NIV). One way of thinking about that might be to consider what we practice (what we repeatedly do) becomes who we are. To put verse 4 of that Romans chapter in context, Paul is talking about grace and how we can boast in God’s glory and because of it we can continually celebrate. He goes on to tell the readers that in addition to celebrating the future hope of glory we can also be joyful when we experience suffering because “we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” (Verses 5:3-5.)

I don’t enjoy suffering, but perhaps I can endure it better knowing that, if I so chose, it will develop perseverance in me which will in turn produce character. I want to be a woman of good character. Naomi’s daughter-in-law Ruth in the Bible is described as a woman of ‘noble character’ (Ruth 3:11). Elsewhere in the Bible this same Hebrew phrase is used to describe warrior men such as Gideon, armies, and persons of excellence in the book of proverbs. If perseverance can produce in me the kind of courage and strength the godly woman Ruth showed, then I’m all in for practicing perseverance. Our character matters to God and so it should matter to us. Let’s persevere in being brave and becoming the women God knows we can be.