"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let
us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and
let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking
to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that
was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated
at the right hand of the throne of God."
We
use this Bible verse a lot in our modern world - we see it on t-shirts,
key-chains, and that sort of thing on a pretty regular basis. We tend
to focus on the spiritual application of this verse; if we endure
through sin, we can find strength in Christ. That is definitely the
primary focus of this verse, and that lesson is something that we all
need to keep in mind as we go through life. Today, however, I'd like to
take a quick look at an every-day physical application of this verse.
One
of the key differences between a Christian and a non-Christian is the
near-inhuman level of endurance that Christians have. We can persevere
through anything and everything - a quick look at the bloody history of
persecution that the church has faced is proof of this.
We
persevere because we know that Christ holds the future. No matter what
happens to us, no matter how discouraging or painful events in our lives
may be, it will get better. If you follow the pattern that God has set for us in the scriptures, and if you pray to him for the things that you need and want, you can know - without a doubt - that everything will ultimately work out.
In
other words, no matter how hard we fall on our face - if we are
persistent and we put him first - we can find comfort in knowing that
everything will work out in the end. (James 4)
The
point I'm trying to make is this: next time you have a goal that seems
unreachable, next time you want to accomplish something but the "rules"
of society tell you "you can't," don't be afraid to try anyway.
Try your best and let God do the rest.
Show the world that Christians are persistent - we have no fear because God is on our side - and allow God's infinite power to help you reach your goals. When you get discouraged, just remind yourself of this: if God is with us, who can be against us? (Rom. 8:31)
In Christian love,
- Bro. Ethan
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