Tenacious or stubborn

This past week, our weather resembled a yo-yo; cold and rainy alternated with spring-like conditions. On a recent walk, I spied a young beech tree, last year’s leaves still clinging to slender branches. Are they tenacious or stubborn?

I often ask the same question–about myself.

Tenacious

I mostly consider tenacious to be a positive quality. If we have tenacity we are persistent and don’t give up easily. That’s a good thing–isn’t it? Being tenacious keeps us going when the going is tough. Tenacity helps us complete the goals we set for ourselves. Persistence is necessary for us to to keep going, even as we face difficult challenges that we encounter on life’s journey.

When applied to my life, tenacity enabled me to complete a PhD while teaching full time and being a wife and mother. It was HARD! But with the support of my family, I pushed through it and succeeded. Achieving this challenging goal enabled me to teach at the university, a life-long dream.

But what about stubbornness?

I’ve my share of stubbornness, too. What about these traits?

• Wanting things done a certain way (my way)
• Winning a debate (argument)
• Resisting apologizing, even when I know I’m wrong

But to be fair to myself, my decision, many years ago, to give up control and submit to Jesus has greatly improved my actions. My negative personality traits reduced significantly after I accepted Jesus as my Savior.

Wisdom from Scripture reminds us that stubbornness can lead us astray:

But these people have stubborn and rebellious hearts; they have turned aside and gone astray. They do not say to themselves, ‘Let us fear the Lord our God, who gives autumn and spring rains in season, who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.’ Your wrong doings have kept these away; your sins have deprived you of good. (Jeremiah 5:23-25)

The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice. (Proverbs 12:15)

Distinguishing between tenacity and stubbornness:

So what is the difference between stubbornness and tenacity? Don’t both of them include a determination to complete complete goals, do tasks correctly, and do our best?

It depends . . .

Our motives matter

• Are we seeking to walk with Jesus and use His guiding principles to shape our actions?
• Do we put the needs of others above our own?
• Do our interactions with others reflect the Fruit of the Spirit?

Those control issues in my past (which I now label stubbornness), were my own selfish desires. I wasn’t placing the needs of others first.

What do you view as the difference between tenacity and stubbornness? How do the two intertwine in your life?

Here’s another example. This Camellia bush bloomed early in January–then we had some frigid weather–thus the brown blooms. But the bush didn’t give up. This week new, glorious blooms appeared in the lower, more protected part of the bush.

The Camellia didn’t give up. She shared beauty again. We can share beauty to others through our tenacity as well.

The Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)