Endurance is a subject whose life span is forever in the balance of feelings and logic. Faith seems to be left out of the equation! Sometimes it just does not seem logical to keep going, and sometimes our feelings wrecklessly navigate us to false destinations that rob us of our faith to carry on.

A friend of mine years ago made this statement! I don’t know where he got it from, or who might originally had said it; but it makes a lot of sense. He said it this way, “Through patience and humility comes endurance.” Patience is one of those virtues that challenges us on a daily basis, in every situation, trial and tribulation imaginable.

It is so important for us to realize that in order to succeed in life, in our relationships one with another that we have to be stubborn. Being stubborn has a tendency at times to be looked at in a negative light, however, obstinance is not always a weakness or sin; it can be a strength when applied properly.

If one needs to endure, one needs to be determined in their heart not to be side tracked, detoured or to quit. Perserverance should never be substituted by our unwillingness to go the distance, when there are obviously others watching us to see what it will take to for us to throw in the proverbial towel.

Here is a poem by an Author Unknown that you might have already read or heard before. It is inspirational!

“Don’t Quit”

When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low, and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit-
Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.

Success is failure turned inside out,
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar.
So, stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit-
It’s when things go wrong that you mustn’t quit.

In the Scripture of the day, the Apostle Paul was giving Timothy, a young preacher, some advice and encouragement. Timothy was Paul’s convert, whom Paul had led to the Lord. Paul knew a few things about the ministry, and also about people! Paul didn’t want Timothy to fail. God didn’t want Timothy to fail. God didn’t want Timothy to quit and God does not want any of us to quit in serving Him or others.

1st Corinthians 15:58 ministers to my heart whenever I read it! “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not vain in the Lord.”

What we do for the Lord is never in vain. What we do for the Lord, when done with the right heart attitude, brings glory to the Lord.

1st Corinthian 10:13 helps me as well! “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

Father in Heaven, thank you for the riches of Your glorious grace that give me the stength to carry on. Thank you for Your Holy Spirit, and your presense in my life. Thank you for Your promise that You would never leave me, nor forsake me. Thank you for creating in me a will to meet You daily in Your Word and in prayer. Father, keep me safe from the perils of doubt and discouragment that would lead me astray and cause me to quit; leaving a watcher by, to not see Your purpose for their life.