Endurance

We are witnessing more than ever the lack of endurance in our society, even among Christians, so here is an article that bears repeating.

Have you ever had a trial that took you for a rollercoaster ride--up one day and down the next? Or maybe your trial has been more like a water torture--constant, and never changing. You think a resolution is in site only to be put off. Well, I am going to share with you a lesson on endurance that the Lord taught me several years ago. I included it as a chapter in my book “A Fine Weaving.” Endurance was compared to the edging cord of a Navajo rug: Along the edges of the rug the weaver runs double or triple strands of cord on each side for a dozen rows to give the rug endurance. If she skips the edging cord, the rug will fall apart.

Endurance is the very thing we learn by testing and trying events. Christ endured the cross. He did not ignore it or run away from it. He did not try to bypass it or get around it or get out of it. He went through it.

Endurance is akin to longsuffering, and in Colossians 1:11 the word is coupled with joyfulness. So does that mean that I will grit my teeth and try to stand it for awhile longer? No. It means that we believe that what God says in His Word He will do, and we trust the matter into His care. Then we “whistle while we work” and wait for God to work things out.

It does no good to run away from our problems or try to get around them or ignore them. We must accept them and go through them. But the good thing about it is that He goes with us. God is a faithful presence. He is with us each step of the way, directing us and giving us His strength and comfort. We know that whatever happens He will be with us and see us through it. We can remain constant because of His presence. It is the Master Weaver who weaves the cords and character of endurance in us.

Scriptures to Ponder:

Colossians 1:11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power,

unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;

1 Corinthians 13:7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things,

endureth all things.

Habakkuk 3:17-19 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.