The Path to Endurance
How do you build endurance?
Verse of the Day
“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.”
Today’s Devotional
Have you ever asked a question, very hopeful for the response, then felt deflated when you got the answer? The answers to some questions are disappointing. Maybe disappointment isn’t the right word. Maybe discouraged is a better description for me.
For instance, when you think about getting into better physical shape, the answer to the question of “how” is very simple but not at all easy. Eat healthy foods. Limit unhealthy foods. Move your body in a way that strengthens it. And do all of this consistently. That answer of “how” sounds daunting to some people. Because it takes quite a bit of work and effort.
The answer to the question of “how to build endurance”, according to today’s verse, is to have trials and problems in life. And our perspective to those problems should be one of joy because they are building our endurance.
Is this your natural response to the problems in your life? It’s not for me.
I’ve said many times that so much of our spiritual growth revolves around changing our perspective, aligning it with what God says to be true. I can tell you from personal experience that there is work involved in changing one’s perspective. (Another discouraging answer?)
I have a situation in my life right now that I would consider a problem. I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what decision is the most loving for all the people involved. I have been diligently praying for God to give me wisdom for this specific situation. I have asked other godly people to pray about it. If we apply today’s verse to my problem, then I should be thankful and joyful for this time of waiting. Every time it comes into my thoughts, I pray about it. Because I don’t know what to do. Shouldn’t I then be joyful that there is something in my life that instantly sends me to prayer? I told my husband this morning that I was frustrated that God has not given me any direction yet. Clearly I am not yet applying this verse.
I do, however, have a confident hope and expectation that God will give me guidance. He has never let me down before. So the endurance grows as I choose to wait for God’s guidance and set down the frustration that His timing doesn’t align with my will. And when I choose to recognize that there are things going on that I cannot see, either in the heavenly realm or with other people (or both). As I wait, I can choose joy when this problem comes to my mind, because I know it is building my endurance. And according to yesterday’s verse, I need patient endurance to continue to do God’s will, so I should be grateful for any and every situation that can build my endurance. It’s not easy, but it is pretty simple.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
What problems or trials from your past have caused your endurance to grow? Are you grateful for that growth?
In what ways do you see endurance growing on other people as they endure problems?
How can you actively choose joy today about any problem or trial you are currently facing?