Tuesday, June 02, 2009

Building Your Faith - Part 4 - Endurance

Part 1 of this mini-series on building your faith was about reading your Bible as a way to build your faith. Part 2 was about praying as a faith builder. Part 3 was about resolve and commitment. This time, let's look at another quality that is not in vogue much these days -- Endurance.

How do I build my faith?

The Bible tells us that the winners of life's race are not the people who are the quickest, the smartest or even the most successful but; the true winners are the men and women who keep going against all odds. Life is a journey filled with twist and turns. Unfortunately, most people are defeated before their ship even sets sail. Therefore, I urge you today to not give-up or give-in to life's setbacks. No matter what you are facing make it a point to stay in the race.

The Apostle Paul says something that sounds very familiar to my statement above. Paul uses a "running" analogy several times in his letters to the early church. In Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 1 he says the following.

"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,"
NASB

And these words to young Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:5.

"But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry."
NASB

I didn't realize that endurance and hardship were so entwined. Then I thought about. I guess I really had never heard anyone discuss that they were having to endure pleasure! Sort of makes you think, doesn't it?

But if we endure. We will be rewarded. Maybe not materially. But we will be rewarded with ever increasing faith.


Photo licensed under Creative Commons License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/

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