Faith That Perseveres: Holding On When God Feels Silent

A Bible Study on Pressing In

Have you ever prayed for something for so long that you started to wonder if God was even listening? Maybe you’ve felt like you were doing all the right things: showing up at church, reading your Bible, praying faithfully, and yet, life still felt stuck.

You’re not alone. Persevering faith isn’t about perfect patience or unshakable optimism. It’s about trusting God when the waiting stretches longer than you imagined and the answers don’t come the way you hoped. It’s about staying in the race, one step at a time, when your strength runs out and all you have left is hope in Him.

When Perseverance Feels Impossible

James 1:2–4 tells us, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”

That word perseverance in Greek is hypomonē, which means “steadfast endurance” or “to remain under.” It paints the picture of someone staying under a heavy weight without giving up or running away. It’s not passive waiting. It’s active faith. It’s trusting that God is using the pressure to grow something deeper in you.

But perseverance isn’t easy. It means walking through disappointment, uncertainty, and even silence. And yet, through Scripture, we see that God honors those who don’t give up.

Let’s look at three stories that show us what persevering faith really looks like.

1. The Paralytic at the Pool of Bethesda (John 5:1–9)

This story takes place near the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem, where a pool called Bethesda was believed to have healing powers. The name Bethesda means “house of mercy.” Surrounding the pool were five covered porches where a great number of sick, blind, and paralyzed people gathered, all waiting for the water to move.

According to tradition, an angel would come down and stir the water, and the first person to step in would be healed. You can imagine the desperation—the crowd watching the pool constantly, ready to scramble at the slightest ripple.

For thirty-eight years, one man had waited there. When Jesus asked him, “Do you want to get well?” the man responded, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”

That answer tells us a lot. He wasn’t just sick physically—he was weary emotionally and spiritually. After nearly four decades of disappointment, he’d settled into hopelessness.

But Jesus didn’t wait for the water to move. He simply said, “Get up, pick up your mat, and walk.” The man obeyed, and in that moment, everything changed.

Sometimes perseverance isn’t about waiting for the “perfect” opportunity. It’s about responding in faith when Jesus speaks. Even when it feels impossible, one word from Him can bring the breakthrough we’ve been longing for.

2. The Canaanite Woman (Matthew 15:21–28)

If there’s ever been a picture of determined faith, it’s the Canaanite woman who approached Jesus on behalf of her daughter.

In this story, Jesus traveled to the region of Tyre and Sidon, Gentile territory, outside of Israel. A Canaanite woman came to Him crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”

At first, Jesus didn’t answer. The disciples urged Him to send her away, but she kept pleading. When Jesus finally spoke, He said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” Still, she didn’t give up. She knelt before Him and said, “Lord, help me.”

Then Jesus said something that, to our modern ears, sounds harsh: “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” But this was actually a test of faith. The word Jesus used for “dogs” here is the Greek kynarion, which means “little dog” or “puppy”, not the wild, scavenging dogs the Jews typically despised.

She replied, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”

Her response was humble, bold, and full of faith. She recognized that even a “crumb” of Jesus’ power was enough to heal. Moved by her perseverance, Jesus said, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.”

This story reminds us that sometimes God tests our faith to strengthen it. Perseverance in prayer isn’t about begging. It’s about believing that He is good and that His timing is perfect.

3. The Perseverance of Job

Job’s story is one of the most powerful examples of faith under pressure. He lost his wealth, his children, and his health, yet he never cursed God. Job’s perseverance wasn’t pretty. It was full of questions, pain, and raw honesty.

But in Job’s suffering, something profound happened: his understanding of God deepened. By the end, Job said, “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.” (Job 42:5)

God restored Job’s fortunes, giving him twice as much as he had before. But the real victory wasn’t what Job got back. It was who he became through the process. Perseverance had transformed his faith.

How We Keep Going

Perserverance doesn’t mean running faster or climbing higher. It means pressing in and pulling close to God when life feels tough, when we feel overwhelmed. We keep going by taking time to get alone with God and pray over that thing in our lives that makes us tired, weary, or just plain worn out. We practice giving it over to him each day and asking him for new mercy and renewed strength.

Go Deeper with Your Family

If you want to help your family talk about perseverance in a way that connects to their everyday lives, download the free Family Devotional Guide for this episode. It includes Bible passages, discussion questions, and a family challenge to help you grow together in faith.

Closing Thought

Hebrews 12:1–3 tells us to “run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”

Faith that perseveres isn’t about willpower. It’s about focus. When we fix our eyes on Jesus, we remember that He endured the cross for the joy set before Him. He persevered so that we could be redeemed.

If He didn’t give up on us, we can trust Him not to give up on our story either.

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For Girls Walking the UnPerfected Journey

If you have a preteen girl in your life who’s learning what it means to follow Jesus, grab a copy of Girl UnPerfected on Amazon. It’s a faith-building resource that helps girls see that their imperfect stories can still point others to a perfect God.

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