Endurance

“We know that affliction produces endurance...” (Romans 5:3 CSB)

Long distance running has taught me to be mindful of what I yield to. Giving in to sore muscles, tiredness, boredom, and negative thoughts gets you nowhere. Athletes learn that a certain amount of pain is inevitable during training. Your desire to finish the race must outweigh your intolerance for discomfort. You yield to the goal, not the pain.

Giving power to the wrong thing can sabotage progress in all areas of life. For example, capitulating to self-pity, weakness, despondency, or fear keeps us from moving forward. Permissiveness leads to negligence and disorder. Endurance, on the other hand, gives purpose to affliction. Fortitude accepts pain as part of the growth process. Perseverance knows that strength and discipline are essential to resilience. When we  trust God, we give in to His power. The awareness of a higher purpose eclipses suffering. When we yield to God, instead of to our natural inclination to avoid pain and humiliation, we reveal His glory.

A Spirit of Despair

“...A garment of praise in place of a spirit of despair.” (Isaiah 61:3 BSB)

It was one of those days. Gray clouds blocked the sun. The howling wind whipped the trees, shook the house, and churned up chaos within my soul. A spirit of despondency took over, weighing me down with unexplainable sadness. Everywhere I looked, I saw suffering, disappointment, failure, and meaninglessness. Melancholy, like an uninvited visitor, had appeared at my door. She talked her way in and refused to leave. She drew the drapes closed, blocking the light of grace. She ransacked every nook, creating chaos and disorder. She maximized my burdens while minimizing my perception of God’s wisdom.

My energy reserves were being depleted quickly. The longer I waited, the further I would sink. I knew what I needed to do. I had to shake off the oppressive spirit of despair and replace it with a covering of praise. At times like this, when I have no words of my own, I rely on the Word of God to revive me. There are times when I can neither access a Bible quickly enough, nor can I recall scripture verses that I have memorized. That is when lyrics to songs I have heard in the past wash over me. The windows to my soul are opened and the fresh wind of the Holy Spirit blows out the musty air of despair. I am reminded of who God is. I feel His presence. Gradually, grace seeps in; hope peeks through; strength returns. I lean on the Lord to rescue me. I am confident that the Eternal will finish what He started in me.

“Whenever I walk into trouble, You are there to bring me out. You hold out Your hand to protect me against the wrath of my enemies, and hold me safely in Your right hand. The Eternal will finish what He started in me.” (Psalm 138:7-8 VOICE)

Faith Food

“There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen... Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.” (Hebrews 5:11, 14 NLT)

What do you eat when you are hungry? Where do you go? Most of us gravitate toward foods that are tasty rather than healthy. We follow our cravings for sugar, salt, and fat. We take pride in our sophisticated palates. We justify our habitual indulgence as part of enjoying life. It is not lack of intelligence or knowledge that prevents us from making good choices. We know what is nourishing, but our desire for pleasure dulls our senses.

How do you feed your spirit? Where do you go? Most Christians look toward their church to be fed. We gravitate toward like-minded folks within our socioeconomic strata. We want to be in communities of faith which uphold our traditions, beliefs, and values. We follow our cravings for affirmation, acceptance, enjoyment, and comradery. We take pride in our service projects, offerings, and feeling needed. We justify our habitual religion as how we practice faith. It is not a lack of intelligence or knowledge that prevents us from choosing what is right. Our spiritual senses have been dulled by imbibing a steady stream of pre-packaged religion with processed fillers. Solid truth is for those who are mature in faith. Like whole food, it requires chewing and digesting. The mind has to be trained to distinguish between what is authentic vs. inauthentic, what is elevating vs. distracting, what is right vs. wrong.

Braveheart

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword.” (Hebrews 4:12 NIV)

The 1995 film, Braveheart, depicts the life of William Wallace, a Scottish warrior. Most viewers don’t remember that Wallace was hung, drawn, and quartered by the end of the movie. Instead, we remember the iconic scene where the lead actor gives an inspiring speech--his long hair flowing in the wind, blue war paint on his face, sword held high. We associate this image of the brave soldier with the title of the movie. Surprisingly, ‘Braveheart’ is not a nickname for the main character but the name of Wallace’s double-edged broadsword.

Have you ever felt ill-equipped to do what you sense you are called to do? Not all of us who are called to the frontlines of battle are tall, muscular, white, or male; we may not be brave, strong, or inspiring, either. These inadequacies can prevent us from stepping up when needed. I, for one, do not feel qualified to be at the frontlines of anything. If they were to make a movie about me, it would be titled Fearheart.

The antidote to fear is faith. We do not go to the frontlines of battle ill-equipped. Instead, we learn to wield the double-edged sword which is the word of God. This makes our hearts brave, even though we fully expect to be humiliated and tormented. It is not our physical appearance, strength, or courage that allows us to lead the battle. It is not our abilities of articulation that inspire others. It is not a belief in our own suitability for the job that helps us stand firm. It is our confidence in the living God.

Prophets and Missionaries

“Pray for the insight and ability to bring others into that intimacy.” (1 Corinthians 14:13 MSG)

Terms like prophet, missionary, evangelist, minister, pastor, priest, and apostle have been used to describe those who have dedicated their lives to sharing the Gospel of Christ. Yet, are we not all called to this purpose? We do not have to travel to a foreign country or speak to people who have never heard of Christ to be missionaries. We are all given missions from God and, thus, are called to be missionaries, but as they say in the Mission Impossible movies, it's up to us whether we 'choose to accept it'.

Every day, we have innumerable opportunities to draw people into intimacy with Christ--wherever we are. Oftentimes it's easier for us to build relationships with our neighbors and friends than it is to do so with those in foreign countries. Those of us who are not overtly proselytizing, who do not hold the title of minister or missionary, sometimes have better luck at making Christ known. Sometimes, Christian 'evangelists' inadvertently turn Christianity into a multi-level marketing scheme like Mary Kay or Amway. This scares people off more than it attracts people to Christ. People have to trust us before we can influence them. This takes time, agenda-free love, and kindness.

Micro-decisions

“If you don't know what you're doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You'll get his help, and won't be condescended to when you ask for it.” (James 1:5 MSG)

How much time would you take to research a trip that costs $3000. In contrast, how much time do you take before making a decision to spend $10 a day on coffee or a fast-food meal? The latter decision costs more per year and has longer-lasting effects on your health--yet, most of us rarely give it a second thought.

Before major decisions, I take time to pray and think carefully. Choices like changing jobs, moving, getting married, buying a home, etc., only have to be made occasionally. However, I make hundreds of decisions daily--about how to spend time and money, the food and drink that I consume, my choices in entertainment, the words I speak, the people I associate with, and how I respond to situations--without much consideration. These micro-decisions have significant ramifications in the long run. Thinking before making small choices may feel dumb. Praying about these things may seem completely unnecessary.  Yet, once we recognize the cumulative impact of every micro-decision, we realize our need for Divine wisdom. We learn to pass everything by God and to ask for His help.

Lord, be with me and my loved ones today. Help us with every little choice we make. Protect us from impulsiveness and wastefulness. Give us clear vision and understanding. Let every micro-decision in our lives lead us closer to the purpose You have planned for each of us.

Time Management

“This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out.” (Romans 13:11 NLT)

I watch a popular baking show where contestants make towering cakes in a few hours of time. From start to finish, everything is made from scratch. Every task--planning, sifting, mixing, baking, decorating--is geared to the goal of finishing the one project at hand. Cakes of different sizes, multiple colors of icing, macaroons, decorative accents, are all made and assembled in the alloted time. Bakers often crouch next to their ovens and monitor their work, so they know when to adjust the temperature or take their cakes out. They don’t dabble in unrelated activities, even during times of waiting.

Time management skills and attention to detail are just as crucial as creativity and baking in this setting.

The older I get, the more I realize how little time I have left. I don’t have a bucket list or a vision board filled with different things I want to acquire, accomplish, or experience. Nevertheless, I am deeply aware that there is an all-encompassing purpose to my life and limited time to get things done. Everything I do must somehow contribute to this specific role, this ultimate goal. There is a strong temptation to fill up my life with whatever everyone else is doing. Yet, I also sense that dabbling in unrelated activities, however interesting and enriching they might be, merely uses up what time and energy I have left.