Abiding in Jesus is a beautiful way of life but it is also full of its troubles and temptations. Some are dismayed when they realize that this journey is not all sunshine and rainbows but a narrow way that very few will find.
I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33
Jesus all but promised us that on this earth there is very little good but we ought to find solace and peace in knowing that HE has already overcome the world. It is for this reason then that in the book of Hebrews, we are told to run our races with endurance.
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, - Heb 12:1 (NKJ)”
Endurance; the ability to tolerate/withstand an unpleasant or difficult process or situation without giving way.
The life of a Christian that is here, likened to a race that an athlete runs, requires so much endurance. It requires us to be able to tolerate and withstand hardship, trials, tribulations, testing and tempting.
Like the athlete who has to endure painful muscles, constant training, injury etc. We too are expected to pay the price to walk with Jesus. We cannot call ourselves disciples of Jesus and want to escape the tough times that require us to endure. The fact of the matter is, we will face trials and tribulations but we have one hope amid those hard seasons; Jesus who has overcome the world.
What does enduring have to do with abiding you may wonder.
Abiding in Jesus, dwelling in Him, and living your life with Him has created an enemy for you. You see our enemy is always waiting for us to slip so that he can come and devour us and destroy us (see 1 Peter 5:8).
We ultimately have 3 enemies waging war against us. The flesh, the world and the devil. These 3 things are what constantly make it so hard for us to walk uprightly and in righteousness consistently. When the troubles and temptations come from all angles, we need to develop that muscle called endurance. The ability to tolerate temptation and not cave in and fall into sin is a sign of maturity. The ability to face some scary tribulations and not be moved away from Jesus is a sign of maturity and mature believers have endurance.
If you have been avoiding the hardships associated with being in a relationship with Jesus, you have not yet developed that endurance muscle. So, when they come, and trust me they will, don't run. lean into Jesus, who is the author and perfecter of your faith.
Be Blessed.
Ps Mish
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