You’ve heard the famous Vince Lombardi maxim, “Winners never quit, and quitters never win.” There is great power in perseverance, diligence, grit, old fashioned “gutting it out.” These things pay high dividends. The Bible teaches us the value of not giving up. One of the most well- known Bible passages reminding us of this truth is found in Galatians 6:9 (NIV) “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

We sometimes use words like “driven” to describe a highly motivated, self- starting, achievement-oriented person. This individual usually has clear goals, strong discipline and a high commitment to the things that matter to them.

You’ve met them before. Perhaps you’ve even been that person. I am talking about the person who refuses to change their thinking, despite the facts. It’s the one knowingly stuck in their destructive ways, yet unwilling to do anything about it. We use an adjective for folks like this — stubborn! It’s a highly negative character flaw that guarantees bad decisions.

Desire is an essential element of life. It inspires and motivates us. It causes us to set goals and go after them. It moves us forward. As long as desires are holy and healthy, they are a good thing. Sometimes desires go haywire, however. A good thing can become a bad thing when it’s out of control. The desire for a piece of cake after dinner is likely fine occasionally, but eating an entire cake, and doing it every evening is over-the-top. It’s a desire gone haywire.

Making proper lane changes is a vital part of safe driving. Newer vehicles are often equipped with lane assistance technology. A warning activates when you begin drifting into another lane, or when you about to make an unwise lane change.

“Even” is an interesting word. It means, “on the same level; equal in measure or quantity” (Dictionary.com). The concept of “even” is often applied to our relationships. When hurt or offended by something someone says, does or fails to do, we often want to get “even.” We want to equalize the pain. The thought is, “Whatever measure of problems or hurt you’ve caused me, the same should come back to you!” It’s called “getting even,” and we all have the tendency to desire and seek it.