Tag Archive | endurance

Patience Grasshopper

Nov7

Have you ever found yourself wanting something to happen right now, but it seems to take longer than expected?

Well, I sure have. We live in a world of instant gratification. Just take a quick look around and you’ll see fast food restaurants, drive-thru pharmacies, quick remedies for weight loss and the “quick draw McGraw” of news…the internet. Isn’t it amazing how addicted we are to instant things?

It really becomes prevalent when you have to wait in a checkout line at the grocery store and you realize just how impatient you are to get out of there; even if you don’t have anywhere else to go.

When time is of the essence and you have absolutely no understanding of what is happening; the most important thing you can do is have PATIENCE! It is certainly one of the hardest lessons to learn. Yet, it is one of the most crucial in your daily walk with God.

Here’s why…In James 1:2-4, God is very specific why we must learn patience.

“Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations.  Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience.  But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be perfectly and fully developed, lacking in nothing.”

In other words, God is telling us that we should rejoice in difficult situations, knowing that God tests our faith to bring out patience. During trials, all kinds of junk are brought to the surface. Things like anger, rebellion, self-pity, complaining and pride. It is so important to deal with this stuff so that God can take us to the next level.

So, let’s put it in a step-by-step process:

  1. Trials come and we face all the “icky” stuff
  2. This in turns helps us develop Patience
  3. Patience helps us develop Endurance
  4. Endurance creates a mature character
  5. A mature character brings us to absolutely nothing lacking within our lives.

Let’s face it…most of us have absolutely no clue what God is up to when He calls us. But one thing for certain is that He knows the end from the beginning. Ecclesiastes 7:8 reminds us, “Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patience in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.” And Galatians 6:9 tells us, “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”

So, I don’t know about you but the ending sure sounds better than the beginning. It doesn’t matter how long we have to wait, it is far more rewarding to wait on the Lord’s timing because His timing is perfect and the outcome will exceed all of our expectations.

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Running Your Race

Jun7

Nothing seems to happen.  Distractions from every angle.  Technology overwhelming you in emails, text messages, Facebook and Twitter postings.  Television taking over the airwaves.  People constantly pulling you into their dilemmas.  Distractions quickly becoming hindrances.Pulling

See, when you begin stepping out in faith; things quickly start piling up against you.  Every step you take, three more things pull you away.  People want your attention.  Everything seems like an emergency and all of a sudden, you’re the only person that can take care of the situation.  You get pulled in all directions; becoming overwhelmed and distracted from running your own race.

When runners prepare, they must diligently prep from every angle.  They focus their attention on eating right and practicing continuously.  They don’t worry about the people in the stands or the runners around them, they focus on the their ultimate goal…The Finish Line!

In Hebrews 12:1-2, we are told to“…strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (burdens) and sin which so readily clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us.  Looking away to Jesus [and from all that will distract], Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith and is also its Finisher.”

FinishSo, what is holding you back?  The devil loves to come up with a thousand ways to keep you full of distractions; keeping you from fulfilling your God-given destiny.  He doesn’t want you to succeed.

There is no question we all need supernatural help in running our race.  The best thing we can do is focus on Jesus.  Ask Him to start plucking out the weeds that are choking you.  Ask Him to help you see what is holding you back AND be willing to let go of anything that is hindering you from your race.

For when you become diligent and persistent in keeping Him first, all things will begin to stabilize.  You’ll start making incredible progress.  Things will happen quicker with much less effort on your part.  You’ll get much more accomplished in a shorter period of time.  HE IS THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER!  SUCCESS IS YOURS and YOUR BEST DAYS ARE JUST AHEAD!  KEEP RUNNING YOUR RACE…the FINISH LINE IS IN YOUR SIGHT!

Patience

Sep7

Have you ever found yourself wanting something to happen right now, but it seems to take longer than expected?

Well, I sure have.  We live in a world of instant gratification.  Just take a quick look around and you’ll see fast food restaurants, drive-thru pharmacies, quick remedies for weight loss and the “quick draw McGraw” of news…the internet.  Isn’t it amazing how addicted we are to instant things?

It really becomes prevalent when you have to wait in a checkout line at the grocery store and you realize just how impatient you are to get out of there; even if you don’t have anywhere else to go.

When time is of the essence and you have absolutely no understanding of what is happening; the most important thing you can do is have PATIENCE!  It is certainly one of the hardest lessons to learn.  Yet, it is one of the most crucial in your daily walk with God.

Here’s why…In James 1:2-4, God is very specific why we must learn patience.

“Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations.  Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience.  But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be perfectly and fully developed, lacking in nothing.”

In other words, God is telling us that we should rejoice in difficult situations, knowing that God tests our faith to bring out patience.  During trials, all kinds of junk are brought to the surface.  Things like anger, rebellion, self-pity, complaining and pride.  It is so important to deal with this stuff so that God can take us to the next level.

So, let’s put it in a step-by-step process:

  1. Trials come and we face all the “icky” stuff
  2. This in turns helps us develop Patience
  3. Patience helps us develop Endurance
  4. Endurance creates a mature character
  5. A mature character brings us to absolutely nothing lacking within our lives.

Let’s face it; most of us have absolutely no clue what God is up to when He calls us.  But one thing for certain is that He knows the end from the beginning.  Ecclesiastes 7:8 reminds us, “Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patience in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.” And Galatians 6:9 tells us, “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”

So, I don’t know about you but the ending sure sounds better than the beginning.  It doesn’t matter how long we have to wait, it is far more rewarding to wait on the Lord’s timing because His timing is perfect and the outcome will exceed all your expectations.