ENDURANCE: A NECESSARY QUALITY

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me.

Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.

 But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” 

John 16:33

In today's economic and social climate we are surrounded by great opposition to progress at work, home and at play.  It is a challenge now to keep our living on the straight path, and to keep our minds, sight and focus on God and His promises.  

We have might have commenced this year on a high note, with prayer and fasting and thinking "it is Month 7  and asking the questions such as "where is my testimony"? "Where are the manifestations of progress God promised?"  " I prayed and screamed Amen on the top of my lungs?" How come everyone has a testimony except me"? 

However, we must remember that our God is a faithful God.  He assures of His faithfulness in Deuteronomy 7:9 and it reads "Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands".   He will do that which he has promised to do, but He needs our participation in bringing it to manifestation.

The question is NOT 'what can God do', BUT 'what we believe and are we doing that which He has asked us to do'.

The period between said prayers and manifested answers is called 'WAITING'.  This waiting period is not a passive position, it is an active one. Whilst we wait, we wait by 'DOING' that which God has laid on our hearts to do.   We must make a heartful decision and declaration to do what God says to do like the Psalmist David in Psalm 119:8, which reads "I'm going to do what you tell me to do...".

Willingness and obedience, mixed with expectation is the bridge of delivery to God's promises.
  

Man prays', God says, Man does with joy, gladness and expectation, and God blesses

But the waiting period is too long most of us cry. The waiting period is different from person to person, but most of times our willingness and obedience will determine if we wait a day, a week, a month a year or a lifetime for that which we seek - according to God's will for our lives.

However long our waiting period is, one thing we must develop is the nature and spirit of ENDURANCE. 

Endurance is defined as: The state or fact of persevering: For example, "through hard work and endurance, we will complete our life's work"

In the book of Ezra (please read Ezra 4: 1-24 for Completion) we read a harassed people of Israel who faced opposition in doing what God had commissioned them to do do, which was the rebuilding of the temple that was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar decades earlier.  They faced opposition from their adversaries, who even tried to get the then king of Persia to stop them.  However, God's people, endured and successfully completed the rebuilding of the temple. 

Sometimes, we might be doing all we know how to do and find ourselves still waiting.  God is a good God and He will not willingly withhold any good thing from us. This means we must make sure we are in tune and aligned with what God is doing at that time.  It could be for various reasons such as developing a good character in us, ready for the blessing, so that it will not crush us.  It could be that God's timing for that thing is not here yet and such.  However, the key to this period of waiting is to be in tune with God, ask Him what He is doing and for an understanding of the time and the season of waiting that you might find yourself in.  When we do, His Spirit will guide, teach and comfort us.

As with when we face trails in life, in our waiting periods, God Has promised not to abandon us as He declares in Hebrews 13: 5, which reads "...“I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”  Remember God honours His word above His name - Psalm 138:2.

I can hear you say, I hear all you are saying Remi, but it's still difficult, what and how do I develop endurance whilst actively waiting on God?   I am glad you asked. Here are a few things we can do:

1.  Encourage others to be encouraged:  It is easy to get caught up in our own problems, the house, the kids, the bills, the job, the investments and so on. But we are relational beings  - I wrote about this HERE and we are called to help one another.  In the time of waiting, it is paramount that we rise above our own needs and encourage others so that we too can be encouraged.  We can also get encouragement from the bible, Hebrews 12:1 talks about the "cloud of witnesses" in the hall of faith. If they went through all they did and came out strong and victorious, so can we.

2.  Get rid of Hindrances:  A hindrance is something that stops, that prevents or disallows one to do something.  In Hebrews 12:1 we are encouraged to get rid of sin that easily traps and hinders us.  When we expose and entrust ourselves to God, He will help us identify the things that are causing hindrances in our lives, that is or could slow us down.  It is our job to work with the Holy Spirit to rid ourselves of them. 

3. Run the race:  We are encouraged in Hebrews 12:2 to run the race of endurance set before us. Not the one set before our aunt, or uncle, or pastor or brother or sister, but we as individuals. Yes, we will run alongside all these people, but each of us has a specific race that God wants us to run and win. Quitting when the going gets tough is NOT an option.  God's strength is always available when we feel tired. 

4.  Keep your eyes on Jesus Christ: Ah this sometimes is the difficult one, especially, when we are slapped from all angles with all sorts of crises.  However, Hebrews 12:2, encourages us to "keep looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith".  Author is defined as 'the maker of anything; creator; originator'.  Finisher is defined as 'to complete and perfect in detail'. The word finisher also means 'to perfect'.  When we keep our focus on Jesus, He will help us perfectly complete and win the race He has set before us.  

I encourage you (point to myself too), that whilst you are 'actively waiting' on the manifestation of God's promise, to be willing and obedient in doing that which He has told you - not your aunt, or cousin or pastor or your brother, but YOU -  to do, and in the TIME to do it.  Time is very important in God's agenda for our lives Ephesians 5:16 reminds us  that we must make use our time wisely, it reads "Making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil"

Regardless the opposition, the struggle keep on pushing forward in God's strength and with the help of the Holy Spirit , build up supernatural endurance to do all that God's say you should do, in the time He says you should do it and perfectly completing your race.

In no time, your willingness, obedience and endurance will pay off, and the testimonies that will manifest, will go on to make God famous along your way.

Much love, Remi
***pictures by google***

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