PERSPECTIVES FROM DAVID’S
7 SECRETS
Chapter Eight,
“You Can Do This” p. 101
Endurance is
different from determination or perseverance because it implies going through
some kind of pain, hurt, anguish, or some difficulty that looms just ahead, or
is already coming against you. It means you have made the decision to face it
head on, whatever it is, or however hard it might be.
If you are a
high altitude mountain climber, you have decided to endure cold, lack of sleep,
to risk your life, and go for the summit.
Athletes also make decisions to be willing to endure the hours of
extreme training, beyond hurt, to be successful.
David endured
lots of hardships following the call God put on his life. Not the least of which
was finding himself in physical danger most days of his life. The worst had to be going through the
rebellion of his son, Absalom, who had determined to kill his father and take
over the kingdom. David endured because
he knew God would never abandon him as he wrote in Psalm 138:8, “The Lord will
fulfill His purpose for me; Your love, O Lord, endures forever- - do not
abandon the works of Your hands.”
The apostle
Paul was teaching young Timothy when he told him, “Endure hardship with us like
a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” 2 Tim 2:3 and again in 4:5, “But you, keep
your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist,
discharge all the duties of your ministry.”
The implication is that ministry is hard, and we must endure, because we
know the Lord will not abandon us.
There is
another kind of endurance that simply means “something that will last forever”. Only God is part of that one. Jesus said, “Do
not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which
the Son of Man will give you” John 6:27.
The apostle
Peter has the final word on this, speaking of Jesus Christ he said, “For you
have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the
living and ENDURING Word of God” I Peter 1:23.
DECIDE TO ENDURE,
FOREVER IS ON YOUR SIDE
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