Monthly Newsletter Article

Finding Endurance (part 1)

Perhaps you’ve heard the story about the farmer’s old mule that fell into the dried up well?  The farmer decided the mule wasn’t worth saving and the well needed filling.  He called upon his friends and neighbors to bring their shovels and help him fill the hole and bury the old mule.  At first the old mule thrashed about, braying and bawling.  But after several shovelfuls of dirt something amazing began to take place.  With each filthy pile the old mule began to shake off the dirt and step up.  In no time at all the hole was completely filled and the mule stepped out and trotted off happily!

This story is a metaphor for endurance.  It seems that we have two options when life is flinging dirt into our faces: we can shake it off and step up, or we can be buried alive.  We each must decide for ourselves which it will be.  No one is immune from facing adversity – the question is, “How will I handle it?”

There are many individuals in the Bible who endured various trials.  Joseph was one such man.  He was hated by his brothers; sold into slavery into a foreign land; falsely accused of a crime; and abandoned in prison.  Yet, Joseph was able to shake it off and rise above.  Job was another man who endured tremendous personal loss.  Enemies attacked and killed his servants; fire consumed his livestock; a great wind collapsed the home where all his children were gathered.  Yet Job did not remain in sackcloth and ashes forever.  Even he was able to shake it off and rise above.  Noah was a man who endured the consequences of a very difficult commission given by God.  Think of how he and his family must have been belittled, maligned and scorned.  Yet, they were somehow able to shake it off and rise above.

We are instructed by God in His word to cultivate endurance in our walk with Him.  Hebrews 10:36 admonishes, “You have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.”  As Christians we have “need of endurance” to assure that we receive all of God’s promises.  In Luke 21:19 it is Jesus Himself who says, “…by your endurance you will gain your lives (souls)”.  The context there is the persecution, suffering and adversity one faces as a true disciple of Christ.  We want the promises of God – we understand there is a cost – we long to gain our souls by the will of Chris. So, how can we begin to cultivate endurance in our lives?

(#1 of 4) Surrender to the source of endurance

For the Christian, endurance is cultivated through two possible avenues.  One source of endurance comes from the various trials of life we encounter which test our faith.  Another source comes from the loving discipline we encounter from our Heavenly Father. 

James 1:2 – 4 “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (NASB)

How do we typically respond to the “various trials” of life?  The tendency at times is to withdraw from any potential suffering we may see stirring on the horizon.  Maybe it’s some challenging situation or circumstance we’re avoiding.  Maybe it’s some difficult person we’re desperately trying not to encounter.  But then what do we do if suffering cannot be avoided?

Most of us dwell somewhere between the extremes of “Woe is me….” and “Look at me…”  The first extreme (“Woe is me…”) is where we isolate ourselves and sulk; feeling sorry for ourselves until someone eventually acknowledges us.  The second extreme (“Look at me…”) is where we become bitter and angry; murmuring and complaining until someone eventually acknowledges us.  Either way – the end result is a let down.

     James says we ought to face the trials of life with an attitude of joyfulness.  The attitude James is directing us to have is often misinterpreted as happiness.  Joy and happiness are not synonyms.  Happiness is typically based on what’s currently happening to me or around me.  It is the feeling I get when all my expectations are met.  Its opposite, of course, is sadness which is the feeling I get when things don’t go the way I expect them.  “I am so happy!”  WHY? “Well, because my team won and made it into the playoffs!”  “I am sad”  WHY? “Because they lost at home in the first round” 

     James isn’t instructing us to face cancer or the loss of a loved one with a happy smile on our faces.  He is, however, asking us to consider (count or reckon) our adversities by an attitude of calm delight.  You see, joy is not circumstantial like happiness.  It is a mindset which rests upon real knowledge and a firm understanding rather than what is happening to us or around us.  A person can face a difficult trial with a calm delight based upon the knowledge that their faith will be strengthened and completed.  This point is easy to dismiss if our attitude is wrong about suffering – but then, what are we left with? 

James is asking us to ‘reckon’ our trials as opportunities for spiritual growth.  Can we do it?  Can we rise to the challenges we face in our walk of faith?  Will we be beaten further and further down by them? 

Hebrews 12:7-11 “It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom {his} father does not discipline?  But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.  Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?  For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.  All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.” (NASB) 

Discipline has almost become an offensive word in our culture.  At the very least, it is a sensitive issue.  Some of us had earthly fathers that knew how to discipline us.  Their discipline kept us safe and helped us to grow as human beings.  Some of us, on the other hand, had earthly fathers who did what seemed best to them, leaving us feeling ashamed and without worth.

I realize it may be difficult for some, but try your best not to let your earthly experience jade your concept of what God has in store for you.  His discipline is a source of the endurance you need to be assured of His promises and to gain your very souls.

There are times in life when we may become complacent about internal weaknesses and frailties in our faith.  Maybe some grudge or guilt we’re carrying needs releasing but we’ve harbored it so long we lack the will to let it go.  Perhaps we’re holding too tightly to some worldly attitude and we lack the wisdom and spiritual insight to gain the heavenly perspective.  Whatever the reason may be, it seems that there are times in our lives when our Father applies some heat and pressure on us, for our own good.  These times are often characterized by feelings of discomfort, pain and even sorrow.  The result, however, is that we gain endurance; we reflect God’s holiness in a keener way; and ultimately, the peaceful fruit of righteousness is produced in our lives.

If we want to begin to cultivate endurance in our lives then we must begin to change our attitude towards suffering and train ourselves to yield to the loving discipline of our Father in heaven.  In future newsletters this Spring Semester, we will look at three other areas where we might begin to cultivate endurance in our lives.  Hope you find these thoughts helpful!

Brian S. Lombardi