Enduring Faith

Hebrews 6:9-15

You will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance. (Hebrews 6:12)

“THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS BAD WEATHER, only bad clothing.” That Scandinavian maxim reminds us that we have a better chance of enduring storms than calming them, though we see both approaches in Scripture. Jesus demonstrated the latter when he slept in the back of a boat while the surrounding winds and waves raged. The disciples on the boat questioned his concern for them, and after Jesus calmed the storm, he questioned their faith. The shalom inside of him—his peace, calm, and rest—was stronger than the chaos outside of him, and clearly his condition won. The Prince of Shalom brings the environment of God’s Kingdom into every situation.

But sometimes difficult situations persist, even when we are conformed to the image of Jesus and filled with his presence. The prayers, attitudes, and actions we bring to our trials don’t always change them right away. That isn’t unusual; Scripture is full of stories of endurance. Often people waited for a promise and received it after many years, or even watched as the promise was passed on to future generations. The book of Hebrews tells us of faithful people who saw God’s promise from a distance and died without having entered into its fulfillment—but were still honored and rewarded in God’s Kingdom for investing their lives in his purposes. Again and again, faith and endurance go hand in hand for God’s people, with faith making endurance possible and endurance making faith last. From our point of view, the need for endurance is a sign of things gone wrong. From God’s point of view, it’s a normal part of our journey.

Bring that sense of patient, faith-filled endurance into every area of your life—your relationships, work, goals, and certainly your spiritual growth. It will not only strengthen you for the long haul; it will serve as a sign of eternity in your heart, an example of what it means to be anchored in another realm. Your patience makes a profound statement about the character and ways of God, and it clothes you to weather any storm.

{Lord, I don’t always understand your ways, but I know they are extremely thorough and lasting. Build into me that character—the values of your Kingdom and the testimony of eternal truth. Amen.