When I say the word ‘Endurance’ what is the first thing that comes to mind?
Suffering
Race
Stamina
In the world of fitness, it means more endurance more stamina. The more you bear the intensity of the move, the more stronger you get. Many times we look at the physical side of the Endurance but what builds my spiritual stamina? Let’s dig more into it.
What is Endurance?
It means getting through the trial without compromising or wavering.
The power to withstand hardship or stress, the inward fortitude necessary.
So now today we look at the spiritual fortitude that we need to build. It is a reminder for those who have always known that we need to endure in Christ and it is a lesson for those who wonder why I need to go through this pain/ suffering/test/trials.
James 1:12 – 12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
Let’s read Psalm 42
1 As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?
3 My tears have been my food
day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
4 These things I remember
as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go to the house of God
under the protection of the Mighty One[d]
with shouts of joy and praise
among the festive throng.
5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
6 My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.
8 By day the Lord directs his love,
at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.
9 I say to God my Rock,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?”
10 My bones suffer mortal agony
as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
11 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
What is the psalmist expressing about himself?
I am in agony, my suffering is so much. He is so sad, that he doesn’t want to go on like this any more, when can I meet my God states that he is done with this trial. So overwhelmed with the pain.
He is tired of answering people who are taunting him. He is recalling that I used to be so glad and how during those days he used to be full of vigour to go to the house of the Lord. Now it has kind of become such a drudgery. It is so much of troubles around him that he is not experiencing that same joy. He is asking himself, what is wrong with me? Why my soul are you downcast?
Look how he addresses God – I say to God my Rock – WHY? So many of his questions are WHY?
But he doesn’t let that WHY overrule the power, confidence and love of God, for He knows , God is the only rock that can hold him in this trial.
He makes a choice, – I WILL YET PRAISE HIM, my Saviour and my God.
- My Past
- My Pain
- My Praise
Sounds similar right?
Today we all might be in a juncture where we are out of a suffering point, in a suffering state, or eventually would be in a suffering state. It also depends on the intensity of the trials. If we are an amateur we will feel a lot more pressure, stress, and pain, however, if you are a seasoned Christian you would be able to endure it. Do you think the psalmist is not a seasoned Christian. He is. However, shares that the condition of his heart and as he shares, he realises that I got to put my hope in God. He makes a choice. Endurance is a choice.
Why do I say it is a choice, because if I give up, I won’t enjoy the fruit of it. If I hold on, I grow. I become stronger. Eventually, I become what God intended me to be like Jesus. Jesus endured all of his life.
Why do we endure? Here’s God’s heart in my Endurance.
Hebrews 12: 1 – 14
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
God Disciplines His Children
4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,
“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”[a]
7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! 10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13 “Make level paths for your feet,”[b] so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
Warning and Encouragement
14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. 16 See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. 17 Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears, he could not change what he had done.
What do I become or what is the end result?
Endurance is like a test after every teaching. Jesus taught then he tested. Test only enables us to understand my level of faith. It grades me on my knowledge of God and it also shows me what kind of a person I am. It also gives me a realistic perspective of a person I am. People may see me as the worst or I may showcase I am the best but circumstances and my endurance will tell me who I really am.
Endurance keeps my heart in check.
Teaches to Pray
9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,[e] 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience.. Colossians 1: 9- 11
Produces Character
Not only so, but we[c] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. Romans 5:3-5
Taught in Scriptures
4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. Romans 15:4
God teaches us Endurance
5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, 6 so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:5
Jesus Christ our Teacher
3 We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 1:3
Lesson Learnt: Attitude of the heart
A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit. Proverbs 15: 13
It is my attitude that enables me to endure. Being grateful and thankful. Looking at my past blessings, counting on my prophecies, worshiping like how the psalmist worshipped. Taking it as a discipline.
How to endure
Accept the unchangeable
Adjust to the obstacles
Abide with patience
Result of Endurance:
Crown of Life
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12
Renew their Strength
But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31
Perfecter of our Faith
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1–2
Jesus endured the cross. He took the shame, the guilt, the criticism, the accusations, the abuse, pressure and all that trauma. He is an ultimate example of endurance.
-It’s been said that the value of your Christian faith are like a tea bag. You only see how strong it is when it’s placed in hot water. It’s easy to love God when all is well, but the proof of your love is when all is not well.
-I Peter 4:12-13. If you want to see and enjoy His glory, you must first share in His sufferings. Those sufferings will help us recognize our weakness and our insufficiency so we can learn to endure them with His strength instead of our own.
Sandra worships at the Renewed Hope Community. The Renewed Hope Community is situated in the heart of the city between Old and New Panvel. We can confidently share that Renewed Hope Community is a Church in Kamothe, Church in Khandeshwar, Church in Khanda Colony, Church in Karanjade, Church in Panvel, Church in New Panvel, Church in Karanjade because we are centrally located and these places surround our church Venue.
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