Long Haul Endurance

 As this Covid thing rages on, I find myself growing very weary, and some days, just flat out discouraged. It's so hard some days just to get up and put one foot in front of the other and make yourself go out the door to do the same things you've done so many days before. And to make it worse, it sometimes feels like you aren't getting anywhere. Which is what makes today's word stand out like a sore thumb. I woke up this morning with the word "ENDURANCE" on my mind.

I thought first of Joseph and all he had to endure. I thought of the text that we looked at a few months ago that started simply with the words, "Two years passed..." when Pharaoh's butler had forgotten him in the jail after promising to tell Pharaoh about him. Contrast that with the idea that we are about 9 or 10 months into this COVID trial, and he had another 14 months totally BEYOND that. Bless his heart...and that was AFTER he had been sold into slavery by his brothers and falsely accused by Potiphar's wife! He truly ENDURED a lot!

My mind went next to Moses and how much he had to endure just leading the children of Israel through the wilderness for 40 years. I will be finishing 40 years of ministry next May seeking to lead the children of Adventists and at many turns, it has been totally exhausting. The complaining, the stubbornness, the power plays and the criticism that Moses had to endure, I've also had to endure...but what's worse, unlike Moses, I've turned around and done the same to those God put over me. They have had to endure ME! (and I know that sometimes I'm not the most pleasant to be around).

I next thought about Jesus. He endured much. When you think of a spotless, totally innocent, holy being, having to just COME to this earth, it had to be painful to His divinity. Perhaps that is why God had Him be born and grow up, so He didn't have to learn about all of the evil all at once. Contrast that to the end of His life AFTER He had encountered demons, masses of broken people and hated by those who claimed to be representing Him.

To be alone in the Garden, much like Eve thousands of years earlier, facing the tempter and enemy of souls, but with the heat turned up way beyond what Eve and Adam had to face. Yet Jesus endured. He held on and persisted in prayer. He asked for what He wanted, yet said, "But not if it is in place of YOUR Will, Father. I want YOUR will above mine." And HE endured to the very end of His life to give us hope in the middle of ours.

It is during the most difficult times that we are to endure hardship so the Lord can show Himself strong in our lives. The Bible doesn’t just speak to physical suffering, but especially to suffering for the sake of the Gospel. It doesn’t just call us to endure suffering, but to embrace it. Check out these passages.

2Tim. 1:7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

8 ¶ So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us to a holy life — not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.

1Pet. 4:12 ¶ Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”

19 ¶ So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

What was that? Those who suffer according to God’s will… whoa…hold the phone… What does that mean? God wants us to suffer?

No…but He doesn’t necessarily want to rescue us from the troubles of this life because if He did, He knows that we would just be satisfied with staying here and then we would never long for heaven…so He allows suffering. Suffering, from that perspective then, is within His will… Whenever it comes, Peter says our response should be to commit ourselves to our faithful Creator and continue to do good.

Paul writing to Timothy says: 2 Timothy 2:3 "Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus." -

The writer of the book of Hebrews 12:7 "Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?"

James adds this. James 1:2 ¶ Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. (endurance) 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

That’s a reason for endurance. It helps us become mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Need one more reason to develop endurance and perseverance in your life?

James 1:12 ¶ Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

So yeah...I'm tired of this COVID mess, and I wish it would just go away... I'm tired of this election mess and the uncertainties it continues to bring. I'm overwhelmed at times by all of the evil, sickness, death, and other things beyond my control, but I am called to endure it, and whatever other trials come my way, knowing that my faith is being built day by day, one choice at a time and that in due time, like Joseph, I will be taken from this dump of a prison to the palaces, not of Pharaoh, but of God Himself.

Hold on my friend! You too, with the the grace and help of God, can endure today.

A Reason for Endurance

Sometimes, I think that our present generation of church people (and I include myself in that group) has grown soft and flexible, loving comfort more than Christ, seeking satisfaction rather than saving souls. I wonder what would happen to the Christian faith if, overnight, we faced the same trials and tribulations of the early Christians? Would we yield to our oppressors? Would we surrender to secularism? Would we deny our Savior?

Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, for us, we don't currently have to face anything remotely like that, but there are other Christians in the world in places like China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Afghanistan, Iraq, parts of Africa and even India, where our brothers and sisters in the faith will be hunted down, harassed, tormented, and even killed before the sun sets tonight.  Killed, not because they have done anything wrong. Their only offense is that they have chosen, like you and I, to love and follow Jesus.  I believe that their faith is stronger than ours; their commitment to Christ is better than our own; because their service to God is a matter of life and death, not a life style choice or leisure pursuit.

They consistently have to endure hardships that we haven’t even tried to imagine.  They have counted the cost and chosen to lay down a life they cannot keep in order to lay hold of a life which they cannot lose.

When Time comes to an end and History is over, we'll all be standing in line, awaiting our crowns of glory. We, who are always so used to being first, will be at the back of the line, watching those Christians who have nothing but faith being brought forward to the places of honor, glory, and power before us. It will come as a shock to us, but not a surprise, for didn’t Jesus often said, "The first will be last, and the last will be first?"

But we like being first.  We like being in positions of power and luxury.  We like having it soft.  I do.  I’ve watched myself grow more about comfort than about hardship.  I’ve watched myself grow more intensely devoted to making sure I’ve got it easy.  I don’t like sleeping on hard floors anymore.  I don’t like hard physical labor anymore.  I don’t want to even get out of my recliner to answer the phone or change the channel. That’s why God had someone invent cordless phones and remotes.  I don’t like it hard.   And if I’m not missing my guess, neither do you.  

We’ve become a soft society.    How do I know?  Listen to what we complain about.  They aren’t complaints that the government just killed our pastor or our uncle or our spouse for loving Jesus.  We don’t complain about how hard it is to share the gospel in our society. We don’t even complain about starving to death.  As a matter of fact, we complain about food.  We have the luxury to complain about food.  Don’t like this kind.  It’s gross.  Not enough of it to suit me.

We complain about weather.  Too hot.  Too cold.   Too windy.  Too rainy.

We complain about homework and jobs.  We complain about cars that aren’t as nice and about high gas prices.  We complain at restaurants or oil change places or even, believe it or not, Wal-Mart when the service isn’t fast enough.  We complain about other drivers who don’t go fast enough when the light turns green.  In spite of all we’ve been blessed with, or perhaps I should say, in spite of all the circumstances that we are blessed not to have to live with, we still complain about anything that encroaches on our idea of the good life.  We’ve become a soft society.

So how does the Lord get our attention in a soft society?  How does the Lord get us more committed when our lives are not on the line every day?  How does Jesus get us to grow closer to Him when we are more concerned with what we are eating after this than the food He wants to give us right now?

You aren’t going to like my answer.    I don’t like my answer…but it’s biblical.  I have come to believe that it is through suffering that God talks best.  Let me rephrase that.  I believe it is through suffering that we learn to listen best.  I don’t believe that God causes human suffering.  But I have come to believe that He will come to the one who is suffering and draw near to them and grow them to be closer to Himself.  When you think of suffering in the Bible, who do you think of?   Job.  Listen to what the book of Job has to say about this.

Job 36:15 But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering; he speaks to them in their affliction. 16 “He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food.

God knows that we weren’t really meant for this existence.  It is merely a growing up place,  a maturing place with a much better place coming.   But we try to make this life of distress as comfortable as possible don’t we?  We try to pretend that this is all there is.  So go for the gusto, baby.  Grab all you can, can all you grab and sit on the lid!  We set our eyes on the comforts of this world and actually believe that if we can surround ourselves with enough money, enough luxuries of life and enough friends, that we will have no problems.

I don’t care who you are—suffering will touch you.   There is really no such thing as a charmed life.  The wealthiest all the way down to the poorest.  We all suffer.  You might be saying,  “Oh, I’d like to suffer the way they have to suffer.  At least I’d have a Beemer.”  “Or at least I’d suffer in a million dollar house.”

If that’s your type of thinking then you haven’t really been paying attention.  If Hurricane Katrina taught us anything, it would have to be that the million dollar houses can be ruined and swept away as quickly as the shanties.

Recognize that while you may be thinking of a better way to suffer, there are millions of people who are suffering much worse.  Did you know that there are children being born in Africa, today, to parents with AIDS. Those children themselves, are born with AIDS, and they will live their entire life and then die an early death and not know one day without suffering. 

Think about that.  If you have had at least one day in your life free of worry or pain, you’ve got more than they will have their whole life.  But recognize that it is not the suffering, itself, that brings you closer to Jesus.

It is what you choose to do with your suffering.  It is how you choose to handle to crisis, the trauma, the sickness, or the bad news.  You can choose to run to Jesus and allow Him to deliver you in your suffering, or you can choose to run away from him and blame Him for your suffering.

One choice will bring you closer to Jesus and give you strength to bear up and endure whatever it is you are having to face.  The other will cause you to grow bitter and miserable, to the point that others will go out of their way to avoid you.

2Tim. 1:7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

8 ¶ So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God,  9 who has saved us and called us to a holy life — not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.

1Pet. 4:12 ¶ Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”

19 ¶ So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

What was that?  Those who suffer according to God’s will… whoa…hold the phone…  What does that mean?  God wants us to suffer?  No…but He doesn’t necessarily want to rescue us from the troubles of this life because if He did, He knows that we would just be satisfied with staying here and then we would never long for heaven…so He allows suffering.  Suffering then, from that perspective, is within His will…  Whenever it comes then, Peter says our response should be to commit ourselves to our faithful creator and continue to do good.

Paul writing to Timothy says: 2 Timothy 2:3 "Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus." -

The writer of the book of Hebrews 12:7 "Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?"

James adds this. James 1:2 ¶ Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. (endurance)  4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

That’s a reason for endurance.  It helps us become mature and complete, not lacking anything. 

Need another reason to develop endurance and perseverance in your life?

James 1:12 ¶ Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

Wherever you go today and whatever you do, be an enduring Christian first and foremost. Treat people with respect, serve one another, and show love. And if you happen to be hurt or disappointed by someone else, don't fret over it. Go to Jesus and He will help you endure.  Not only endure, but He will help you return the hurt with healing, he’ll help you cover your wounds with His love, and your disappointment with genuine grace. For those are the things that truly make us Christian.  Listen to the words of Jesus, found in Revelation 2:10

Rev. 2:10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.

Father,

You know that stuff happens here that we don’t understand.  You know that we suffer.  Yet you tell us not to be afraid, but to be faithful.  We can’t do it alone, Lord.  So come this moment and strengthen us in the middle of our suffering.  Give us endurance and the will to persevere, knowing that it’s safer to walk with you in the darkness than to go it alone in the light.  Keep us, Lord, in Your care and keeping… Help us to be faithful… not because we’re so good, but because You’re so good.  These things we ask in the name of Jesus, Amen.