Endurance

Ever notice how people quit stuff all the time?

They quit school, jobs, relationships, marriages, God, talking risks, making disciples, life.

They just quit.

They quit school because they don't see any point to it.
They quit jobs because they don't think the job will ever get any better.
They quit relationships and marriages because they can't seem to get past their problems.
They quit seeking God because they can't seem to find Him in the manner they wish.
They quit taking risks because they are afraid of what might happen.
They quit walking with God because it's too hard.
They quit making disciples because it seems like no one else is.
They quit life because they see no reason to live.

There are lots of reasons to quit. All of them based on lack of hope. At the root, if I look far enough down inside my heart, I quit because I don't have hope it's going to work out o.k.

Endurance is the opposite of quitting.

Endurance

Endurance is the power of putting up with things. The power of undergoing pain.

If lack of hope cause me to quit, having hope causes me to endure.

Endurance inspired by hope

Endurance inspired by hope means to never, ever, ever give up following Jesus Christ and making disciples. No matter what.

Endurance is possible because of hope.

We endure school because we believe we will have a better life after we graduate.
We endure our jobs because we believe they will fulfill us.
We endure relationships and marriages because we believe our problems will pass and two are better than one.
We endure seeking God because we believe He will reveal Himself to us in His time.
We take risks because we believe the rewards of the risk out weigh the fear of failure.
We walk with God because we believe being in His presence is more valuable that anything else.
We keep making disciples because we believe it's one of the most important things we can do, even if no one else does it.
We endure life because we believe the future will be better.

Hope is necessary for endurance.

I have been a Christian for over 30 years. Sometimes I get tired. Sometimes I get worn out. I have watched my friends go through the same tiredness.

Other times I have suffered what I consider to be difficult trials. Loss of a job. A miscarried baby. Death of a friend. Serious health problems. Difficult relationships with family and friends. I have watched my friends go through the same or worse.

Over 30 years I have invested my life into the lives of dozens of other men and women. Some of them have continued to walk with Jesus Christ and make disciples. Some of them have not.

I tell them all the same thing, “At some point in your life you will need to decide that you are going to walk with God and make disciples, even if no one else around you does.” I have to remind myself that I made this decision. I have to remind myself often!

I need to endure. I need to keep practicing the discipleship of Jesus Christ no matter how tired I get or how difficult the trials I face.

Hope

Why would you or I or anyone decide to endure following Jesus and making disciples when it gets tough? The early disciples faced the same question. “Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (John 6:68)

There is no acceptable substitute for following Jesus! If I don't follow Jesus, what am I going to do? Nothing else satisfies me like my personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Nothing else fulfills my purpose in life like making disciples of Jesus Christ.

The disciples kept following Jesus because He had the words of eternal life. Their hope was based in the truth about who Jesus Christ is. My hope is based on the same thing. And my hope keeps me walking with Jesus Christ and making His disciples.

My hope must be based on Jesus Christ and His word.

Practical Steps You Can Take

1. Go off by yourself with your Bible and decide once and for all you will walk with God and make disciples even if no one else does.
2. Anchor your decision on a verse.

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Posted on February 24, 2009