God encourages us all to possess the indispensable quality of patient endurance. In fact, it is a necessity in each of our lives.
Endurance training, marathons, and even mountain climbing appear to be the focus for many people right now. Elite athletes endure intensive training and preparation to increase their stamina for the incredible demands on both mind and body to succeed in these activities. Perhaps, the general lack of physical exercise in many workplace settings press people to extend themselves to do something more. For me, however, it all sounds like self-imposed torture.
One dictionary defines endurance as “the fact or power of enduring an unpleasant or difficult process or situation without giving way.” Another definition states “the ability to withstand hardship or adversity, especially the ability to sustain a prolonged stressful effort or activity. Honestly, I would prefer to avoid any situation falling into this category.
“Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.”
Hebrews 10:36
Here is the catch! It is what we all need now to continue to do God’s will. Isn’t that our ultimate goal?
Patient Endurance
Although a virtue, patience is not something I possess in any substantial quantity. Although, I am a check-things-off-my-list motivated person by nature, many things in our lives cannot easily be stroked off such a list or quickly put behind us. We all face enduring challenges or almost insurmountable obstacles. Then what?
“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.”
Romans 5:2-3
I almost laugh reading these words. Usually, first reaction is not to rejoice. Yet, God offers a silver lining to every dark cloud of adversity. By avoiding the challenges of life, we deny ourselves the opportunity for real character development.
In nature, adverse winds strengthen the trunk of a tree and drought causes roots to grow deeper. In the same way, microscopic tears help build an athlete’s muscle, increasing their strength.
And so it is in the spiritual realm. Adversity builds patient endurance within us, developing a depth of character we all need but would otherwise lack.
Something We All Need
What do you need today? A helping hand? Financial security? Hope? Rest? Improved health? We have many needs. I would not include endurance training as one of my needs. Would you?
Yet, the Bible includes patient endurance as a quality we all need. This isn’t something to stow away for a future emergency, but, rather, something we need now and continually. “Patient endurance is what you need now.”
Whatever our “now” is, we need patient endurance to complete what we have begun. It carries us through the boring and mundane. It presses us past difficulties, and gives us the courage to keep going when life gets tough.
Young children display a remarkable amount of tenacity as moment-by-moment they learn new skills. In some areas, their capacity to stretch and grow mentally and physically is astounding. Yet in other areas, they have not encountered enough of the stresses in life to build patient endurance. The older we get the more skilled we become at dodging adversity. In the process we may inadvertently limit ourselves to less than our full potential.
If you are like me, you have prayed for God to fulfill His purposes through you. Don’t we all want to echo Paul and say,
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.”
2 Timothy 4:7
No athlete trains with the intention of quitting before reaching their goal. There is no glory or prize for those who fail to finish — not in either an earthly or heavenly sense. So, patient endurance is what (we) need now, so that (we0 will continue to do God’s will. Patient endurance gives us the internal grit to finish what we have begun.
A Reward
Although we don’t do anything for God to receive a reward, God is a rewarder of those who faithfully follow Him. If we steadfastly continue to live for Him, we will receive all that he has promised.
The Bible offers us so many illustrations of people who started strong but became distracted or divided in their allegiance to God. What sad examples! What disappointing outcomes and wasted potential, adversely affecting multiple generations.
Elite athletes push themselves to discover their full God-given potential; so do we as Christians. God sees and rewards our efforts.
“I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”
Philippians 3:14
Your prize will be different from mine. Ours will be unique from others. God has prepared for us something absolutely wonderful. Every effort will be worth it in the end. Just to be with Him in eternity is enough, but He has even more waiting for those who with patient endurance press on to complete their full assignment.
I encourage you to keep going brothers and sister of faith. Press on! The race will soon be over. Your reward is waiting.
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