There was once a musical called Stop the World I Want To Get Off. I’ve never watched it. But I’ve got to be honest with you, folks. That desire has beat in my heart more than once this past week.
We are surrounded by distress on every side, aren’t we? But we Jesus-following warriors have something the rest of this fighting world doesn’t have: the God-sustained ability to endure. I cannot fathom weathering this storm without Jesus in the boat, as they say.
We can confidently make this claim because we have two Mighty Sources of strength for courage—the Spirit and the Word.
Be strong and take heart,
all you who hope in the LORD.
(Ps. 31:24)
These sheltering days are a huge adjustment for the majority of us. We’re just a few days into what may well be several weeks of quarantine, and people are already wearing thin. As with any adjustment, there is a learning curve. Stick with it and flatten the curve, friend. It will get better! With practice and repetition, you will gain a satisfying rhythm and routine.
All the while, remember that we are amply supplied for our daily overcoming. (No hoarding necessary.)
I won’t deny that we find ourselves challenged to maintain faith and hope in these harrowing days. But no more so than when the Hebrews author penned, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful” (Heb. 10:23).
Those saints who endured great persecution are testimony of God’s infusing power to fuel overcoming faith.
Jesus promised His disciples, “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33). Tough times are not surprising to God. Their very existence can drive a heightened concern for others in us, fuel our hunger for righteousness, and increase our desire to shine His light even brighter. What they cannot do is overcome or immobilize us.
Rather, we make it our aim to renew minds with the teachings of Jesus. Such as with these God-breathed words:
Here is a trustworthy saying:
If we died with Him,
we will also live with Him;
if we endure,
we will also reign with Him.
If we disown Him,
He will also disown us;
if we are faithless,
He will remain faithful,
for He cannot disown himself.
(2 Tm. 2:11-13)
God determined that His certain Word would arm us in these uncertain times.
I wrote this piece for my friends over @ Renew -- click on their logo and hop on over to finish this post. May it bring a blessing for your endurance, brave one.
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