What I have noticed working as a hospice chaplain, is that I learn from the patients about how to live my own life, and how, I pray, I will live the end. Perserverance in the face of icky, hard, smelly, painful situations is harder than perserverance because I make my own difficulties. Well, maybe I shouldn't say harder, but perserverance when the circumstances are not of your own making, call on your attitude to provide your altitude. Come to think of it, that's true even if I make my own stinky situation! Maybe that's were "Whether I live or whether I die, I die to the Lord" comes from - my altitude for perserverance comes from God. Looking to God. Reaching for God. All of which I can do more easily through humility than puffing myself up! "It's No Secret" talks about humility in chapter 3. Changing my focus from me, onto God and others. My competitive spirit brings my focus on what I can do to stand out, look better, be more likable. However, true happiness and freedom and humility will come from not thinking about myself at all! That's when God can lift me up...Perserverance for these reasons will be more satisfying. Being more focused on God will mean less room for focusing on how I will look better. Bring it on....