We must endure hardship as good soldiers of Jesus Christ!

This blog is written to encourage the church of God who is working out their salvation with fear and trembling yet at times grows weary in well doing. Therefore I want to talk to you about enduring hardship or hardness (another translation). Let’s examine what hardship is for the believer.  Simply put hardship is troubles or evils. For the believer these troubles or evils are due to our beliefs and righteous standings for Christ sake. Let me be absolutely clear, I am not talking about the troubles as a result of sin or foolishness. I am talking about holding fast to the truth of God’s Word in the midst of incredible odds or circumstances against us.  Here are some examples of hardness that we must endure:

·       Losing friends and being misunderstood by loved ones because we are committed to living a Godly life and His righteousness has caused division.

·       Being persecuted or scorned because we believe in and walk according to His Word. We strive to live holy and keep ourselves unspotted from the world regardless of what is popular (which is ever changing).

·       Facing verbal assault, whispers and backbiting when we speak the truth of God’s Word without compromise.

·     Being ridiculed because we refuse to participate in the filth of the world through fornication, idolatry, adultery, homosexuality, thief, drunkenness, revelries, etc.

·       Being demeaned within our own faith because we are too zealous for the things of God and/or take things too extreme or literal (in their words).

The beauty and difficulty of enduring is that it is a process. We seldom if ever must endure for just a moment. The hardships we endure are real and cause true angst. They can cause sleeplessness, stress, turmoil, heartache, tears and fears. The physical and sometimes mental responses we have to hardships are part of our humanity; they are not a lack of faith. All of us no matter how mature or spiritual must refocus our hearts and minds on His Word when enduring hardship! We must always remind ourselves that Jesus endured all that we do and endured the death of the cross and yet was sinless. Also, He says if you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part he is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. Knowing also that He says if we endure with Him, we shall also reign with Him.  Hallelujah! The beauty of enduring hardships is in the learning of the faithfulness of God. How will we ever truly know the promises of God if we don’t endure until we attain? How will we experience the fullness of His will without enduring through the discomfort of our flesh? There is a purpose for our enduring. Endurance produces character; it produces the character of God. Our endurance is a necessary ingredient in our maturity. For he that endures until the end shall be saved.

In speaking of hardships, my beloved I could spend days rehearsing the faithfulness of God toward me as I held unto His Word. And since we all know that God is no respecter of persons He will do the same for all that uphold His Word. I have learned He comforts the brokenhearted, He upholds the righteous, He gives mercy to the merciful and the pure in heart shall see God (He will reveal Himself) He will show us His salvation!

Be encouraged beloved for He that has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ!