I’ve had this postcard tucked in my bible for the past few months. I was given it by an artist friend who was part of the prayer community we were with in Colorado earlier this year. It’s called ‘Endurance’.
I must admit, I probably wouldn't normally gravitate to a painting of a ship on storm-tossed ocean, but this one captured my attention. As I was finally putting the postcard in a well-deserved frame, I felt a nudge from the Lord that this blog post should be titled ‘Endurance’. Later that day the Lord led me to read Romans 5 vs 3 - 5. It says this:
“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us”
I feel like the Lord has been emphasising this word ‘endurance’ for a little while. As I’ve been reading through Paul’s letters and thinking about the lives of the disciples and early believers, I’ve been struck by the hardships that they endured and how they counted it as joy. They didn’t subscribe to a message of ‘comfortable christianity’, but they laid down their lives and set their gaze upon an eternal hope, their eyes were set on Jesus. It wasn’t ultimately about this life, but that which was yet to come. They endured, because Christ endured the cross. He made a way for us so that we, having endured, might receive the fullness of His eternal promise. Oh what hope we have in Jesus!
“For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.” Hebrews 10 vs 36
The thing about endurance is that the process of building endurance isn’t usually the most comfortable journey. The dictionary definition states endurance is ‘the ability to withstand hardship or adversity, especially: the ability to sustain a prolonged stressful effort or activity. For example, marathon runner's endurance’. Ouch!
It’s interesting because the Lord has been teaching me a lot about endurance through running. I have this goal to run a marathon in the spring (!!). But a few years ago, the thought of running any kind of distance was just not on my radar. I didn't run, and didn’t really have any motivation to run - I definitely didn’t think I’d ever consider running a marathon. But since I’ve taken up running, that marathon distance seems less and less daunting. I can run further, stronger, faster than I did when I first started. The runs that used to feel hard feel much easier now. I’m still a little while away from needing to embark on a proper marathon training bloc, but slowly and surely I’ve been building up the strength and endurance that’s needed. Endurance really isn’t built overnight. It requires consistency - and I’d say some grit and determination too. Some days I’ll go out for a run and want to give up after a few minutes, but I know I’ve got to push through. But with every run, even the times that I just feel like I want to give up, I feel more and more confident that I’m more than able to achieve that goal distance. I guess I could say it’s produced a sense of hope.
I think many of us would attest to feeling like we’ve faced trails of various shapes and sizes over recent years. But I really believe that the Lord is using these things to build within us the endurance that we need for the days ahead. Just like I shared with running, it’s probably unlikely any of us are able to just get up one day and run a marathon without any prior training or experience (at least well, and without injury). There is an endurance, a steadfastness, a strength that the Lord is forging in his people.
I’m provoked by James 1 vs 2 - 4
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trails of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
Maybe your trail has been a family challenge, or perhaps waiting for a miracle that you are still contending for. It might be a promise from God you are yet to see come to pass, a financial challenge, a health battle, a situation at work or a whole host of different things. My greatest encouragement is to fix your eyes on Jesus. He is our all in all. Hold fast to Him. Drink deeply of His Word. And know that He is walking beside you, He is with you, and He is for you. His love for you endures.
As biblical truth becomes more and more contested, as different agendas try to push their twisted ideologies, as the world rages against Israel, as we hear of wars and rumours of wars - we need the strength and endurance that He has been forging in us. We must hold fast to the truth, stand on the Word of God and fix our eyes on Him. He’s so worth it. I don’t say this as a ‘doom and gloom’ moment, I actually think the days we are living in are incredibly exciting!
So, let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Let us fix our eyes on Him. Let us encourage one another to hold fast to our faith. And may we see and know the good work that He is doing within us.
“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 vs 1-2
Finally, I just want to encourage you to watch this video from Lou Engle about the ‘A Million Women’ gathering on October 12th. I’m going to be sharing more pretty soon about how those of us in the UK can stand and join with them on the day. So keep an eye out for that! Now really is a time to stand with one another, believing and contending for breakthrough for our brothers and sisters as well as our own. Let’s heed the call.
Much love,
Katie
Very encouraging thankyou … 💖