by Glenice Mills
We all have areas in our lives where we battle certain issues that the Lord uses to train us to overcome, and to learn to walk in victory. These areas of struggle forge an enduring deep on the inside of us that lead us to increasing dependence on the Lord. This is where we learn the power of the cross. We learn to develop Godly ways in our character, by confronting the flesh, and submitting our lives to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. As we do this, we have unique situations the Lord brings to us to grow us up into Him, and to teach us endurance. It is not done quickly, but rather takes a long time. It is interesting to note that many Scripture references refer to ‘patiently enduring’. Patience, a fruit of the Spirit, is forged in the enduring.
To endure is the ability or power to suffer, bear or put up with. It is the ‘ability to withstand prolonged strain’. I like this explanation. To prolong means to make longer in time, and strain means to make extreme or excessive demands on. This means there will be pain. It will be uncomfortable! There is no quick easy fix. This is abhorrent to many, particularly in this ‘instant gratification, get it quick’ lifestyle that we live in. It flies in the face of the ‘easy, superficial, all will go well with you because you are a Christian, man pleasing gospel’ that is preached. When things get difficult in our lives, it is easy to try and shortcut the dealings of God by trying to find ways of circumventing our circumstances. It is easy to look to people, things, or some false comfort rather than confronting the issues. The reality is: to endure means we have to go in and through - with the Lord’s help. We cannot do it on our own. We were never meant to do it on our own. We all have our tailor-made areas to endure, however, for many the pressure is tight at this time as the struggles seem unbearable. I feel the Lord wants to bring some adjusting and understanding about what it is to endure.
There is a ‘false enduring’ that the enemy is trying to use to hold God’s people back, keeping them bound and trapped in hopelessness. It is about ‘our vision, our goals’ in life. This is an access point the enemy has. When we lose sight of our vision, our destiny in God, we bow to a false lie of the enemy. Endurance is then built on a wrong foundation.
Sadly, many have succumbed to the lie that ‘to suffer’ is a noble thing. It is seen as ‘spiritual’ to endure suffering as somehow earning great acclaim. However, there is a ‘false suffering’ birthed from a catholic self-flagellation thinking that has many stuck. They are ‘going around in circles’, their life is like a rat on a wheel, thinking that this is enduring. It is not. It is existing, it is just getting by in life. Exist is not endure. Exist is to live with a ‘same old, same old’ thinking. This is not living an abundant life! In fact it is the opposite.
I am addressing an imbalance. There is a suffering that is right in God. This suffering drives us to the cross. We are to take up our cross daily. We all battle certain issues that have us totally reliant on the Lord. However, we have to be careful that our suffering doesn’t cross over and actually make us ‘feel good’ so we take on a ‘false martyr’ persona. This is where the imbalance comes in.
The enemy has actually sold us a lie and we have innocently bowed to idol of self. In fact we become self-righteous and take great pride in our ‘sufferings’ and build a false identity and way of living and being that is contrary to the Lord and His character and ways. This is not freedom but bondage. An imbalance has taken place. Very subtle, but very real.
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
When in the tight place of pain and affliction and the enduring through, it is crucial we never lose sight of our future and our hope in Him. Without this in correct balance we will succumb to the lies of the enemy and give up, bowing to hopelessness. This is not a way of God, it is of the enemy. Scripture makes it clear that we will have to endure hardship, but it is how we embrace the trials that is the issue. It is about what we do going through them. It is dealing with our wrong reactions when things don’t go the way we think they should, particularly in the time frame that we think things should happen in. Our ugly heart reactions will soon manifest, with our flesh rearing up, making us quickly lose our peace. This is then access for the enemy to come and bring separation in our relationship with the Lord.
Hebrews 2:3-7
You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.
And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops.
Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things.
We have just seen athletes compete at the Olympics and they have only got to where they are by pushing through, enduring, never losing sight of the goal, the finish line, of the prize. So it is with us in our walk with Him. The Lord tells us He will never send us more than we can bear.
Endurance can be likened to a woman in labour in the transition time of severe contractions and then having to push. It is severely uncomfortable, there is no turning back and focus must be on what is to come. Many are in this season in God. Transition is never an easy time. It is uncomfortable, nothing makes sense, but it is to be gone through so that breakthrough and victory comes as a result. We must never forget that out of this season comes a mighty testimony to the goodness of God.
Philippians 3:12 -14
Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.
Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,
I will press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
