DEVELOPING THE SPIRIT OF ENDURANCE IN YOUR LIFE

DEVELOPING THE SPIRIT OF ENDURANCE IN YOUR LIFE

We do boast of our troubles, because we know that trouble produces endurance, endurance brings God’s approval, and his approval creates hope.  This hope does not disappoint us.  Rom. 5:3-5

To endure is to hold on steadily in faith as you undergo suffering or pain.  It is to last or continue in existence despite the troubles or challenges.  Every believer is called to endure until God brings the desired change.

The text quoted above should encourage you that although you may have trouble, if you endure in faith then you can come to a place of hope that will not disappoint you.  In other words, endurance is the road that will lead you to the place of victory or success in life.  It is the spirit of endurance that will empower you to continue being strong in faith as you wait patiently for God to move. Anything worthwhile that you would want to do in life is bound to meet resistance or discouragement. Therefore without endurance, you will be tempted to give up your vision, endeavors, hope and faith leading to failure.  Yet God has not called you to fail.  If you are not to fail then you have to develop the spirit of endurance in your live.

In order to develop the spirit of endurance you have to do the following:-

3. Cultivate the right attitude in the midst of suffering or trials. A pessimistic attitude in the midst of suffering will cripple your faith and lead to your failure.  The encouragement from the text is that you should boast of your sufferings or as NIV translation puts it “rejoice in suffering” (v3).

What is the basis for this rejoicing in the middle of a situation which is unpleasant?  The basis for this rejoicing is the fact that as a believer you have access to God’s favour (grace) through Christ (Heb 4:16).  And Christ cannot fail you. You can afford to rejoice in your suffering knowing that the grace of God will enable you sail through.

2. Focus on the goal ahead and do not concentrate on your suffering. It is God who has the capacity to change things for you and therefore it is him you should trust to make you reach.  Keeping your mind focused on your trouble will take you away from the source of strength causing you to give up. Remember that when the time came for the Lord Jesus to give away his life, he focused on the glory that was ahead of him and entered it. He did not focus on the suffering and the grave.  (Heb. 12:2).

3. Keep in mind that all things work for the good of those who love God. (Rom. 8:28). You have to know that any form of pressure, affliction or struggles in your life even if authored by the devil or malicious men will work for your good as long as you can turn things over to God.

When you battle against the forces of darkness, and unpleasant circumstances, God can use it to get you equipped so that you can succeed in life. May be you now feel defeated in your struggles and have decided to sit down and quit. Yet I want to encourage you now that however challenging your situation seems don’t give up!  Get up and begin going again. Instead of complaining, rejoice in the Lord, look ahead at your goal and know that God is working for your good so that as you endure he brings you to the place of rest!

God bless you.

George Oduch

(Pastor) Victory Church of Christ,

P.O. Box 34167 Kampala, Tel: 256 41 222700, 256 77 465293

E-Mail: victorychurchofchrist@yahoo.com