Steadfastness and Perseverance
From the Quran and my personal experience
We know from the Quran that becoming a true worshiper of God requires steadfastness. It requires us to persevere in our striving toward the goal. Like the desert tree shown above, we need to dig our roots into that which keeps us upright and striving toward the goal of the Hereafter.
Just as a baby must continually fall down and climb back up as she learns how to walk, we may tumble off as we strive toward our goal. Like the baby we must begin again.
Do you not see that God has cited the example of the good word as a good tree whose root is firmly fixed, and its branches are high in the sky? It produces its crop every season, as designed by its Lord. God thus cites the examples for the people, that they may take heed.
And the example of the bad word is that of a bad tree chopped at the soil level; it has no roots to keep it standing.
God strengthens those who believe with the proven word, in this life and in the Hereafter…. (The Quran 14:24–27)
Perhaps God guides us in this way. He knows we will fall and fail. And so He blesses us with the ability to repent and reform. If we choose not to, we may end up like the uprooted tree shown below.
Of course, even if we do not repent right away, we can do so later. However, in my experience, the sooner I can repent and begin reforming the easier it is. When I wait too long, my ego gets involved and then I am fighting not only my original error, but also my ego.
He is the One who accepts the repentance from His servants, and remits the sins. He is fully aware of everything you do. (The Quran 42:25)
Have you noted the one whose god is his ego? Consequently, God sends him astray, despite his knowledge, seals his hearing and his mind, and places a veil on his eyes. Who then can guide him, after such a decision by God? Would you not take heed? (The Quran 45:23)
Thank you for reading this story. May God bless you now, and always.
