I have been moving from one computer operating system to another and it has been a challenge. I have had to relearn and troubleshoot some things. I am challenging myself to figure it out. It is good for my mind, but it’s a test for my peace of mind and my patience.

As I was searching, copying, pasting, changing fonts, and moving images, things kept going wrong. I kept having to go back and start from the beginning, remembering each step and redoing each operation over, and over, and over again.

I was getting frustrated, but I was persistent in my desire to conquer this. I knew it would be simple once I figured it out, kind of like a math problem that seems so daunting until you learn how to do it and then it’s easy. So, I wasn’t giving up! I just kept going through the same steps, as I worked with the different apps and programs.

I had a choice. I could either give up or I could keep trying, redoing, and learning. After I’d taken a moment for a breather, I realized that by repeating the process over and over, I was learning how to do it. Some of the steps were becoming automatic for me, and I knew what to do next without laboring over it.

Then, I thought about some of my personal struggles. Sometimes, it seems like I keep repeating the same things and I have wondered why God would allow that. But I’ve realized that these are training sessions. By going through the same things over and over, I have learned what to do. I can say to myself, “Okay, we’ve been through this before. Where did we turn and what did we do the last time to make it through?” Often a Bible verse will come to my mind, or I will review my journal and I find the answer as clear as day.

Repetition is the law of memory in mental and spiritual tasks. This morning I was learning about persistence and not getting frustrated and quitting when things just didn’t seem to be working out. I learned that stepping away for a moment is not the same as giving up. Sometimes, a small pause gives you a fresh perspective and things become clear.

I will persist and learn. I will overcome, as I have before, by God’s grace. “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” 1.

  1. Philippians 4:13↑