What if the very thing God uses to keep you enduring is the work He’s already put in your hands?
One of the greatest characteristics we could all develop in our lives is endurance. Endurance means building faithfulness over time, and the world around us increasingly doesn't.
As a culture, we clock out of so many things – relationships, commitments, responsibilities, even faith. We do this because we convince ourselves that it no longer suits us. Why? Because it's hard, and no one likes hard, especially over time.
The world around us has become increasingly me-centric, even when it comes to our faith. We ask, 'What's in it for me?' because when we see the benefits for ourselves, it's much easier. Even the early followers of Jesus struggled with this. When a bunch of them could no longer see what they were getting out of it – free meals, witnessing the spectacle of miracles – they got up and left.
However, a lot of endurance, by necessity, means looking past this perspective. The thing that made the difference wasn't just obedience or obedience with minimal personal gain, it was obedience with minimal personal gain over time.
Endurance is following God, regardless of whether we see the benefit over time.
It's following Him in how we live in the world – our relationships, physical struggle, prayer, and uncertainty.
Hebrews 12
2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
1 Corinthians 13
7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
When we're alone, especially, endurance means obeying God alone and finding strength in the work He gives us.
The Slow Burn Starts
Sometimes things happen in life that feel like a slow burn. There are times we may feel completely alone, even when doing the right thing. Following God can be hard or even isolating at times. It's in those moments that the silence is loud, the work feels heavy, and giving up seems easy.
Have you ever done the right thing and felt alone because of it?
Sometimes obedience doesn't make you feel closer to others. Sometimes, obedience can make you feel more isolated. We all think we'll be the ones to make the tough call, obey, endure, or be faithful. We want that! However, the part we often overlook is the aftermath of being alone.
The cost of following God is sometimes feeling alone.
Now, the good news is that we're never actually alone. God has promised never to leave or forsake His people. But it still feels that way, especially in the moment.
The Story of Noah
Imagine God telling you to build a giant boat in your backyard, and then 120 years pass. All the while, people laugh and ignore you. Every day, Noah obeyed in loneliness.
Endurance doesn't mean ease, but it does mean obedience.
Hebrews 11
7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.
Noah acted in faith. He wasn't directly encouraged or supported, there's only a record of his long, slow obedience.
Obedience comes with work, and the work is what should sustain us. God didn't give Noah words, He gave him work.
Building an ark isn't the same as building a rowboat. It was an overwhelming project with 3 decks, built in the face of questions and ridicule.
Can you imagine looking out into your backyard and seeing your neighbor do this? And then continuing to work on it for decades?
120 years is a long time!
The world, and sometimes our lives, are filled with unfinished projects, and the hardest part of any project is often the middle of it.
This is why there are probably more unfinished projects than unstarted projects. The beginning has that fresh, new feeling, and the end is where you can see the light coming, but the space in between doesn't supply that reinvigorating energy.
The Feeling
Endurance dies fast when you have nothing to do, but sometimes one of the best things to do is go through the motions, meaning to start doing it before you feel it. "Fake it 'till you make it." There's a task in front of you, but obedience isn't in your heart yet.
Endurance starts in our hands and then moves to our hearts.
We live in a world that says, "follow your heart." There's this idea that you'll feel the right things and you should follow them, but what if your heart doesn't lead you in the right direction? What if your heart leads you in the wrong direction or no direction at all?
This is why endurance matters so much.
If you don't feel anything, or even the right thing, you can still do the right thing.
Even when you feel like you're the only one doing them and feel alone, endurance keeps your hands full and your heart anchored.
God will meet you with His strength in the middle of obedience.
Fake it till you make it, but you're not faking it at all. You're enduring. And God is with you in that endurance. He sees it, multiplies it, and it matters.
Endurance in the now sets you up for faithfulness in the future.
Many of us believe that things will magically happen in our lives one day. We think we can endure, then we will trust God and have faith. That's not how it works. The thing He gives us to do is what enables us to trust later when we need it.
What if the very thing God uses to keep you standing (enduring) is the work He's already put in your hands?
You're tired and think this is pointless, but it's the work God has given you to build endurance. Keep showing up, obeying, and enduring.
Nehemiah 6
9 They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, "Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed."
But I prayed, "Now strengthen my hands."
What if we became that kind of people – still standing? Not because life is easy, but because God has given us a call and work, and is with you in the waiting, even – especially – when it seems like you're in the waiting alone.
Want to play catch-up, or are you looking for a specific topic? Check out our collection of sermons and Season 2 of our podcast, LHC Unplugged!
For more LHC content, subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on Instagram.
As a culture, we clock out of so many things – relationships, commitments, responsibilities, even faith. We do this because we convince ourselves that it no longer suits us. Why? Because it's hard, and no one likes hard, especially over time.
The world around us has become increasingly me-centric, even when it comes to our faith. We ask, 'What's in it for me?' because when we see the benefits for ourselves, it's much easier. Even the early followers of Jesus struggled with this. When a bunch of them could no longer see what they were getting out of it – free meals, witnessing the spectacle of miracles – they got up and left.
However, a lot of endurance, by necessity, means looking past this perspective. The thing that made the difference wasn't just obedience or obedience with minimal personal gain, it was obedience with minimal personal gain over time.
Endurance is following God, regardless of whether we see the benefit over time.
It's following Him in how we live in the world – our relationships, physical struggle, prayer, and uncertainty.
Hebrews 12
2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
1 Corinthians 13
7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
When we're alone, especially, endurance means obeying God alone and finding strength in the work He gives us.
The Slow Burn Starts
Sometimes things happen in life that feel like a slow burn. There are times we may feel completely alone, even when doing the right thing. Following God can be hard or even isolating at times. It's in those moments that the silence is loud, the work feels heavy, and giving up seems easy.
Have you ever done the right thing and felt alone because of it?
Sometimes obedience doesn't make you feel closer to others. Sometimes, obedience can make you feel more isolated. We all think we'll be the ones to make the tough call, obey, endure, or be faithful. We want that! However, the part we often overlook is the aftermath of being alone.
The cost of following God is sometimes feeling alone.
Now, the good news is that we're never actually alone. God has promised never to leave or forsake His people. But it still feels that way, especially in the moment.
The Story of Noah
Imagine God telling you to build a giant boat in your backyard, and then 120 years pass. All the while, people laugh and ignore you. Every day, Noah obeyed in loneliness.
Endurance doesn't mean ease, but it does mean obedience.
Hebrews 11
7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.
Noah acted in faith. He wasn't directly encouraged or supported, there's only a record of his long, slow obedience.
Obedience comes with work, and the work is what should sustain us. God didn't give Noah words, He gave him work.
Building an ark isn't the same as building a rowboat. It was an overwhelming project with 3 decks, built in the face of questions and ridicule.
Can you imagine looking out into your backyard and seeing your neighbor do this? And then continuing to work on it for decades?
120 years is a long time!
The world, and sometimes our lives, are filled with unfinished projects, and the hardest part of any project is often the middle of it.
This is why there are probably more unfinished projects than unstarted projects. The beginning has that fresh, new feeling, and the end is where you can see the light coming, but the space in between doesn't supply that reinvigorating energy.
The Feeling
Endurance dies fast when you have nothing to do, but sometimes one of the best things to do is go through the motions, meaning to start doing it before you feel it. "Fake it 'till you make it." There's a task in front of you, but obedience isn't in your heart yet.
Endurance starts in our hands and then moves to our hearts.
We live in a world that says, "follow your heart." There's this idea that you'll feel the right things and you should follow them, but what if your heart doesn't lead you in the right direction? What if your heart leads you in the wrong direction or no direction at all?
This is why endurance matters so much.
If you don't feel anything, or even the right thing, you can still do the right thing.
Even when you feel like you're the only one doing them and feel alone, endurance keeps your hands full and your heart anchored.
God will meet you with His strength in the middle of obedience.
Fake it till you make it, but you're not faking it at all. You're enduring. And God is with you in that endurance. He sees it, multiplies it, and it matters.
- God gives you WORDS – God speaks
- God gives you WORK
- God gives you WAITING – But not idle waiting, purposeful, preparing waiting.
Endurance in the now sets you up for faithfulness in the future.
Many of us believe that things will magically happen in our lives one day. We think we can endure, then we will trust God and have faith. That's not how it works. The thing He gives us to do is what enables us to trust later when we need it.
What if the very thing God uses to keep you standing (enduring) is the work He's already put in your hands?
You're tired and think this is pointless, but it's the work God has given you to build endurance. Keep showing up, obeying, and enduring.
Nehemiah 6
9 They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, "Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed."
But I prayed, "Now strengthen my hands."
What if we became that kind of people – still standing? Not because life is easy, but because God has given us a call and work, and is with you in the waiting, even – especially – when it seems like you're in the waiting alone.
Want to play catch-up, or are you looking for a specific topic? Check out our collection of sermons and Season 2 of our podcast, LHC Unplugged!
For more LHC content, subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on Instagram.
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