10 Bible Stories to Teach Your Child About Perseverance

Open your Bible and you'll read many inspiring stories. They don't always start on the happiest of notes. However, with perseverance and faith, everything works out in the end in one way or another. It's essential that your children learn these lessons earlier in life so they can be successful as adults. By reading these stories, you'll inspire your kids while also giving them a pathway to Heaven. In the past, we shared stories in the Bible that teach kids about kindness. Now we have 10 bible stories to teach your child about perseverance. Read these to your kids and everyone who listens will be inspired.

The first story is about never giving up. It begins as Jesus was building his earthly ministry and traveling with his disciples. A Canaanite woman tried to approach him with a plea to save her daughter who was possessed by a demon. The problem is that she had a few things going against her. For one, she was a Gentile and not a Jew and she was also not an Israelite. Because of these facts, the disciples tried to convince Jesus not to help her. However, desperate to save her daughter, she would not give up. She persevered and continued to try to approach Jesus. He was impressed with her gumption and he healed her daughter. The lesson in this story is that you must not give up, no matter how much the odds seem to be stacked up against you. Tell your kids not to feel rejected if they don't accomplish their goal the first time. It's too easy for many of us to do that, but giving up will almost guarantee that we won't accomplish our goals.

David started his life as a shepherd boy in Bethlehem. He was appointed by God to be a king, but it wasn't always an easy journey. As a child, he had to continue to fight off bears and lions as he protected his flock. Later on, he would fight Goliath, who was a giant, but David wouldn't give up. Instead, he went out with his sling and stone and he took down the huge adversary. However, his struggles didn't end there. For years, he also had to stay one step ahead of King Saul, who was very jealous that David had the blessing of God. He persevered through this time and was able to stay safe. After many years, King Saul's reign finally came to an end. Eventually, David accomplished his goal and he became the king of all of Israel. Not only did he become king, but he became one of the best kings that Israel would ever have. The big lesson for kids is that, while things won't always be easy, in the end, through hard work, they can accomplish their dreams, no matter how big they may seem.

Job was in an unfortunate situation. Satan thought that he could put Job through incredible pain and anguish so that he would lose his faith in God. Not believing it, God, said that he could try his worst but Job would not lose faith. As a result, Job went through many trials and tribulations. First, he lost his children. If that wasn't bad enough, he went through continued punishment. Next, he lost all of his money. Then he went through incredible physical pain by experiencing skin sores and other ailments. Still, Job continued to persevere and not give up on God. Even when his wife and his friends tried to convince him that all was lost, he would not give in. After a long time, God was convinced that he kept his faith, so he ended the punishment. Not only did God restore what Job had before but he gave him even more than he had. Now, your children won't likely go through this same situation, but they will face hard times. They may even believe the world is against them, but tell them they must not give up. Good things will happen in the end.

One of the best people in the Bible that you can use when it comes time to teach your child about perseverance is the apostle Paul. He became one of the most passionate messengers of the Bible. However, it wasn't easy. Paul dealt with many, many hardships along the way, likely due to Satan trying to stall his progress. Among his misfortunes were a shipwreck, various injuries, a stoning, and being thrown in jail for a long time. Still, Paul carried on and continued to share the word of Jesus Christ with everyone he came across. He even began many churches so he could continue to spread the message. Paul's efforts helped to change the world. Many people came to Jesus because of him. The point for your kids is that they must continue to persevere, even during the harder times. Life will throw a lot at you, but you must carry on. In the end, you can do a lot for yourself and the people that you love.

Throughout the Bible, there are stories of men and entire countries idolizing false gods. This was happening a lot when Elijah finally had enough. While he was following the true God, others in Israel were following the false god Baal. No matter how much peer pressure he faced, Elijah persevered and continued to honor the true God. To finally prove his point, he created a challenge to show who the real God was. Elijah and the prophets he was opposing would each prepare a bull on the altar. The god who answered by fire would be the true God. The believers in Baal performed the ritual but there was no reply. Elijah performed the ritual and there was a fire from Heaven, proving the true God. The scene was so profound that many of the other people also realized that he was the true God. When you tell this story to your kids, tell them that the importance of the lesson is that they always persevere and stick to their beliefs and things can work out.

When you teach your child about perseverance, you can use this Bible story that also rings true for many mothers in our modern day. This is the story of Hannah, who lived in the land of Ramah. She had a deep desire to have a child. She wasn't having much luck but she still believed that God would one day answer her prayers. Hannah persevered with her desires. One day, Hannah was praying when Eli the priest saw her and he gave her a blessing. He said, "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him." She continued to pray until finally, she gave birth to a son named Samuel, who became a very important character in the Old Testament. The point here is that you or your kids may want something but not get it right away. it could be days or years before the goal becomes a reality. Still, your kids must persevere and never give up. 

There's also the story of how Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt. The people were slaves in Egypt and it was a tough experience. They wanted out. Moses began as an unlikely hero but he was chosen by God. Still, leading them out of Egypt and to the promised land was not an easy task. First, Moses had to get out of a land held steadfast by the leader, Pharaoh. Then, as Moses and the hundreds of Israelites walked through the desert, they faced heat, extreme thirst, and a lack of faith. As the leader, it wasn't easy for Moses to persevere. The Israelites kept complaining, but he had to depend on God's plan. Eventually, Moses was able to see the land that God promised, even though he would never walk there. Still, he spent years believing that he would succeed with the help of God. For kids, they should know that the only way to get what they want is to keep trying, even when things look bleak.

Joseph was very loved by his father. In fact, he was considered to be the favorite son. That didn't go over well with his other brothers. To get back at him, his brothers tricked him and sold him into slavery. From there, Joseph had numerous pitfalls. Because he didn't come forward when he was accused of a sin he didn't commit, he was thrown into prison where he stayed for many years. Throughout all this time, Joseph knew that he had the protection of God on his side. Still, spending time in jail and knowing that your brothers were responsible for it all wasn't easy. However, Joseph wouldn't give up. He did the best he could under the circumstances. He stayed positive and persevered. In the end, he proved himself and he became a member of royalty in Egypt. He was even able to help his brothers when a famine engulfed the land. The lesson for kids is that things won't always go their way. In fact, sometimes, life can be very hard. However, they shouldn't give up.

A great story that can teach your child about perseverance is the tale of Daniel. He was friends with Darius, who became the king. Some of the king's wise men were jealous of their friendship, so they made a plan. They knew that Daniel loved God, so they convinced the king to make a law that anyone who prayed to God would be thrown into the lion's den. Not realizing that it was a trap, Darius made the law official. When Daniel was caught praying, the king tried to save him, but since Daniel was technically breaking the law, he was thrown into the lion's den. For an entire night, Daniel had to sit in the dark while hungry lions surrounded him. In the morning, Darius went to check on Daniel and found him alive. Daniel survived by praying to God. In response, God sent down an angel that kept the lion's mouths shut so they would not eat him. The great lesson for your kids is to never lose faith and to persevere. They should also be taught the importance of always doing what's right and they'll win in the end.

A final story that can teach your child about perseverance is that of Nehemiah. Often, perseverance means going through hard work, and that was the case in this tale. Nehemiah learned that the city of Jerusalem was falling apart and the city was in great disrepair. So, he prayed to God and found the desire to rebuild, and then he got the king's permission. Nehemiah knew it would be a big job, but if he persevered, he would accomplish his goal. So, while he was ridiculed along the way, he helped to build the walls, organize guards, station workers, and more. In the end, he was able to succeed, and it's all because he continued to work, he trusted in God's plan, and he didn't give up. There are lessons here for your kids. They will deal with big tasks in their lives and also hardships. The idea is that if they have a plan and they continue to persevere, they can accomplish even the largest of goals. They must also learn that sometimes things take time.