But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.
Summary: Endurance is one of those things that really boils down to an act of will.
My high school track coach was a tall man — about six feet five inches. When it came to running, you might say he had a ‘leg up’ on me. Those long legs of his could cover a lot of ground, and he made it look easy.
I was not an athlete. Still, I had signed up for cross-country in high school, and that is how I found myself running a practice run through the back country of the small logging community I lived in.
It was a hot afternoon, and we were running a full course for a timed practice. I was lagging behind as usual, and the farm road was as boring as it was long. Just as I was contemplating slowing down, the coach came up from behind and jogged alongside me for a bit. I remember complaining that I was getting tired, and he asked a simple question: “Can you make it to that next fence post?”
I looked at the post about a hundred feet away and said, “Yeah, I can make that.”
“Good,” he said,“ then do it again for the next one.
So I did. And you know what? I did it for the next one, too. And when I made it back to the town park and crossed the finish line, I discovered I had run my best time ever.
When I see the word “endurance,” that memory of running all those years ago is where my mind goes. I really wanted to give up, but the coach came along and helped me refocus on what I was supposed to be doing.
It worked.
I think Paul is doing the same thing for Timothy and you and me.
Living the Christian life isn’t always easy. It is tempting to want to give up being nice to others and loving neighbors as God loves me, but then along comes Paul and says, “Can you make it to the end of the day?”
“Yeah, I can do that.”
“Good. Do it. And then do it again tomorrow.”
Application: Keep your eyes on Coach Jesus.
Food for Thought: How does it feel to endure and break through a mental barrier?
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I guess how it feels could be up to individual experience and preferences. I know it feels good to please God and to hear in our spirit that “well done good and faithful servant.”
But to persevere is important in a spiritual battle for our minds. Our mental submission to Christ can change the trajectory of our lives.
Romans 12: 2: Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
2 Corinthians 10: 3 – 5: For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Colossians 2: 8: See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces a of this world rather than on Christ.
Thank you, Rich.
Well said! Trajectory is determined by what we aim for.
How does it feel to endure and break through a mental barrier?
Many years ago, I was struggling with some issue, and I felt the Lord speak. “ That’s ok Ron, I got this one! “ Simple, I let go and our Lord took care of the issue. Letting go, accepting the reality of life according to the will of God, takes some years to get used to. Life according to Gods will requires submissive patience, and Gods power to let go. He calls all his people to submit and provides the power to accept and hang on as He works miracles!
Philippians 4:13, I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
2 Timothy 1:7, For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
Hebrews 10:23, Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
Thank you, Ron!
Your testimony about hearing God’s voice is an encouragement to me and, I suspect, many others as well.