Tenacity as a Spiritual Quality

My dad referred to me as persistent, sometimes.  I have been referred to as patient (less often).  But almost never has the adjective tenacious been used with me.  I'm not sure if that's good or bad in most cases, but I believe that having that quality in my faith in Jesus would be a good.  Tenacious really gets at the quality of adhesiveness, or the ability of one thing to stick to another.  So, depending on what those things are, we get various qualities or shades of meaning.

If the "things" are my faith and Jesus, then my faith is completely without reservation stuck in a complete and total manner, no gaps, no bubbles, no strings, but complete emeshment on some chemical or elemental bonding level (never was good at chemistry, so if I messed that description up...get over it and move on).  The idea would perhaps include the sense of baptism in that baptism means to immerse, except that baptism quality implies staying in that condition, and I would drown if left baptized in water.  If my faith becomes so adhered to the object of my faith, then the two can become indistinguishable.  Is this what is meant in Scripture that we become more like Jesus?

I have to admit that I am certainly not "tenacious" in my faith, as even a casual observer of my daily life would be able to point out.  On the other hand, there are roots and tendrils of this faith which are so pervasive in my life that no one misses them.  I would love to point to these as evidence of some level of tenacity on my part, but I suspect they are more evidence of the tanacity of my Master toward me.  For whatever reason, He will not let me loose.  Why He loves me so tenaciously I cannot fathom.  I have embarrassed Him more times than I can count, tarnished the title of "Christian", and even discredited His ability to change people.

But I believe that part of my general call as a believer is to be tenacious back to my Master.  Fear is not an option.  Total commitment is the only acceptable posture toward Him and His purpose.  There is no question, no doubt, no second guesses, no suspicion there may be a better or safer way.  Those thoughts are not qualities of tenacious faith.  I question when I doubt, I doubt when I fear, I fear when my belief in Who God is and what Jesus has done begins to waiver.  There is not doubt in faith.  I simply act as if what I cannot see, and what I hope to be true IS true.  Faith is activity in every day, every situation, every aspect of life, crisis and routine, home, work, transit, and entertainment. 

I infer a certain amount of "energy" in my understanding of tanacity.  But toward God and faith in Him, tanacity would bring a pervasive peace.  Like a child, I would simply assume it's all true and live that way.  I look at kids and what they believe and sometimes I fear for them; for that day when their hopes are dashed, their aspirations are crushed, and the weight of a sadder, drabber reality settles in on them.  But this naive assurrance is the mark of tenacious faith in Jesus, the peaceful assurrance children have about the world, their parents, and themselves.  That posture toward God would produce such a quality of peace, people would wonder and be confused by me.  That would work.  But how to get there.

Practice makes perfect?  I doubt it.  One man changed that cliche to say, perfect practice makes perfect.  No pressure there!  I can't be perfect, not anymore.  Whatever opportunity I had to be perfect went out the window the day I was born (you've seen what newborns look like, I mean really? Perfect?).  I believe my only chance for tenacious faith is to constantly practice little disciplines that give God opportunites to stretch it.  Like, right now I am waiting.  I know only to wait, worship, and walk before my Master.  I want to know whether to remain where I am, move locally, or move to another state.  The discipline I am learning right now is to give up my desires one way or the other, lead my family to do the same, and have peace about all of the options.  Fear is usually directed at the unknown for me.  So, the discipline is to have peace in the unknown.  I believe that this is supposed be because my peace from my faith will overwhelm my concern for the unknown.  I'll let you know how it goes.  So far, it's kind of up and down.