Endurance

Sometimes, well...often times in life, one of the greatest qualities one can possess is endurance and as the Bible says, long-suffering. Depending on what you’re waiting for in life that’s what endurance tends to feel like to some, a suffering journey of waiting. Now please don’t let that statement sound like a complaint, a whimper, or a whining
person. When you’re in the middle of a journey – or at the end of one – where you’ve been waiting for something great, sometimes you feel no end to it all.

Let me tell you; a great part of endurance “aka long-suffering” is putting a supreme value on positivity. Yes, I said it. While you’re going through it and you’re ready to see something come to an end so you can advance to that next level of life’s promotion or plainly put, ready to get out of a tough situation, it boils down to your perspective.

As I’ve heard so often over the years from wise men I’ve met, “yes, I know the problem, let’s not focus on that anymore. How about we put our eyes on the solution? Focusing on the problem doesn’t get us closer to the solution.” Very true, and as I’ve heard this over the years, this statement does have merit. While the storm is above you, it’s obvious that
sometimes there isn’t a place to run from it. All we can do is endure it and seek shelter while it’s rumbling above us. Some things in life require us to “ride it out.”

Years ago I was driving through Kansas on the way back from Denver, Colorado. After miles of cloudy skies, I noticed light hail beginning to fall and within minutes the hail was the size of softballs. I remember it clearly as my wife and daughters were in the car with me. After one of those softball-sized pieces of ice hit my hood and front window, I stopped at an underpass and rode the storm out. Understanding that I couldn’t travel anymore without the threat of real damage to the car (and the valuable assets inside the car), I stopped. After the hail had passed and it was safe, I proceeded. There are times in our lives when endurance will mean suffering through the storm until it is safe to go on.

So let’s quickly get back to the word long-suffering as I close out my belief on endurance. The word long-suffering in the Bible is made up of two words, long and temper. Ask yourself, when waiting out a situation in life or wanting something so badly that you feel
like it’s never going to happen, how’s your temperament? How are you handling
the wait?

To achieve victory during your long-suffering, you have to trust the Lord. Know that the time spent waiting is not idle. It’s time spent sharpening your skill set, your temperament and preparing to handle more of what God has in store for you. So as you endure (aka long suffer), remember to work diligently while you wait, be patient, and know God is growing

you as you prepare for the promotion.

Romans 6:22

But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have
your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.