Prayer – Lord God, there is always some struggle in
life. I’ve heard it said that everyone is either in a conflict, just came out
of a conflict, or headed into a conflict. That’s life. I thought I was struggling
with this health issue of kidney stones--turned to sand—yet when I looked around me, my problem
seemed pretty trivial. So many people are in so much more pain than I am—and without
hope. There is always hope in You, Lord. Thank you for that promise.
The "sand" I've endured.
Kidney stones after lithotripsy.
Millimeter scale.
God is faithful.
If you think you are standing strong, be careful not
to fall. The temptations in your life are no different from what others
experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more
than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that
you can endure. 1 Corinthians 10:12-13
Meditate. What do you have to “endure?”
Are you struggling to “endure” as you wait…for Christmas,
for the end of the year, for solution to a health issue, for a new job…new home…new
relationship, for Christ’s return, for escape from some temptation…or for whatever?
God’s promise to show us a way so that we can endure is a great promise for
many people this time of the year or any time. Consider Job and all that he had
to endure. If you haven’t read the book of Job yet, dive in and read it. God
allowed Job to be attacked by Satan and so much in his life was destroyed, but
God didn’t forsake Job, nor did Job totally give up on God. Just like Paul
tells us, God is faithful. Job’s friends and his wife even wanted him to curse
God—but he didn’t. Can you say the same thing for yourself? Have you ever been
so low that you just wanted to curse God and give up? We are taught in the Ten Commandments
not to take the name of the Lord our God in vain. If you’ve watched much TV in
the last few years unless you’ve been very picky on your choice of shows, you’ve
undoubtedly heard a lot of cussing at the Lord—using His name in vain. I think
that we get impervious to hearing it—but remember…input output. What you take
into your body, hearing and seeing, is what you give off—or express verbally at
some point. What does that have to do with enduring some situation? If you are
taught through God’s word or other reliable teaching to carry on…to continue in
the fight…to survive or persist…then if you do just that and apply what has
been instilled in you, then you can successfully endure.
How do you focus on enduring? Begin with prayer—and put
into practice the ideas and principles that have inspired you. When you use those
same philosophies to encourage others—you’ll find that you’ve reached your
goal. Be encouraged to encourage other to endure. We don’t have to go through
things alone. As Christians we aren’t guaranteed that life will be easy,
without temptations or trials, but we are assured that we are never alone. God
has promised that He will never leave us or forsake us as in Deuteronomy 31:6
and Hebrews 13:5. Here are a few verses to encourage you.
If we endure
hardship, we will reign with him. If we deny him, he will deny us. 2
Timothy 2:12
As you endure this
divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who
ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? Hebrews 12:7
God blesses those
who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the
crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12
So be truly glad.
There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a
little while. 1 Peter 1:6
For God is pleased
with you when you do what you know is right and patiently endure unfair
treatment. 1 Peter 2:19
Do you see a pattern here? God is for us, not against us. Hang
onto God’s promises. That’s the best way to endure.
Verse of Salvation ~ So I am willing to endure anything
if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has
chosen. 2 Timothy 2:10
© 2023 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All
rights reserved.
All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless
otherwise noted.
New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale
House Foundation.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream,
Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.
Books by Mickey M.
Hunacek
Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com
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