Run With Endurance

When we hear the word endurance, we usually think of marathons and match races. It is often in the context of a competition or quest, exerted by a highly trained athlete or animal. Rarely do we think of endurance as applying to us in our every day lives, even less to anything outside of physical effort. Yet endurance is an essential quality and element in every part of our lives, especially spiritually.

Hebrews 12:1-2 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

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, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

The race set before us is life, this Christian walk we are living. As with any marathon, we do not run alone. Many have gone before us, and many will be running still when we are done. And as with any athlete training for a race, we must also train so that we will have the endurance to finish. We do that by setting aside anything that hinders us, including but not limited to sin. Of course sin is a hindrance to the Christian walk, but worldliness in general will also hinder us. Friendships with people who encourage worldliness are also hindrances.

Susanna Wesley (mother of John and Charles) said, “Would you judge of the lawfulness of pleasure take this rule; whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, takes away the relish of spiritual things, whatever increases the authority of your body over your mind, that thing is sin.”

Things that are not strictly outlawed in the Bible can still hinder our race. Instead, we need to look to Jesus, keep our eyes focused on the finish line (that is eternity) and remember what He did and why. We need to remember the suffering He experienced, the joy He had experiencing it and the glory He received from experiencing it. We need to look to Him for our strength, we can’t just try harder.

Luke 21:19 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

By your endurance you will gain your lives.

In this verse Jesus was talking about the end times, and how things would get worse and worse for Christians the closer it came. Yet eternity is our prize if we persevere! That is what hangs in the balance. This does not mean that if we ever feel discouraged we will lose eternity. Everyone has moments of discouragement and burn out. The key is that we keep going and don’t give up entirely.

2 Corinthians 6:3-5 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger,

Hebrews 10:36 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.

No matter what we face, we need to be diligent, keep doing the work God has for us, and not give up. We are not the only ones to suffer or endure hardships. We are not alone. God promised that this life would be hard, but He also promised that we would receive the prize if we do not give up.

James 1:4 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

This is the purpose of endurance. Nothing God has for us to do is pointless. It all has a use. The purpose of endurance is to perfect us. That is what produces growth in our lives, that is what makes us more like Christ, enduring through the hardships and suffering. It does not count if we go through suffering complaining and wallowing in self pity. We must run with endurance, doing God’s work, keeping our eyes on Him and not our own suffering.

How are you running? Is endurance having its perfect result in your life?