Endurance

My husband and I recently started working out. We’ve only been at it for a couple weeks and already I know one thing is needed to see any results. Endurance.

Last night, while we were in the middle of squats and lunges, I had a revelation. The reason we keep pressing through the physical pain and hardness is because we know the end result. We have goals and we know that if we stick to our eating plan and continue to exercise, we WILL see the desired outcome.

The same goes for our spiritual life.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. (Hebrews 12:1-2 NLT)”

Our life is like a race and we are to run with endurance! Just like working the physical body, sometimes that race is hard! But like it says in verse one - we are surrounded by witnesses, people who have gone before us. It says in the Message version that they are cheering us on! It also says in verse three in the Message version that when we feel ourselves getting tired (and I mean spiritually tired) that we should remember Jesus, and go over His story and how He endured. That shoots adrenaline into our souls!

There is a finish line to this race we’re running. Remember, if you continue with endurance, if you keep pressing on, even when it’s hard, if you rely on Jesus for the strength you need, you WILL see the desired outcome!

“Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! (Hebrews 12:1-3 MSG)”