Endurance
“For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise…” (from Hebrews 10:36).
At 9pm, Nicholas, fell asleep. At 6am, the resident doctors woke me and Nick was born six hours later.
During the six hours, I decided I was tired and asked the hospital staff if we could pause the whole labor thing and let me rest for a few hours…. Yeah, they laughed a little and – “three hours later” (in old French guy voice), we had our first child.
Now, I have never run a marathon. I do not even like walking in a circle. I am a calisthenics, Zumba kind of exerciser, when I exercise. So, when I think of endurance, I think of people who run marathons. Long-distance running surely takes endurance: “the ability to withstand hardship or adversity. Especially: the ability to sustain a prolonged stressful effort or activity.” (-Merriam Webster Dictionary)
I never ran a marathon but I did have a baby. Labor requires endurance.
When I read the verse in Hebrews about endurance, I thought about all the different situations we encounter which require sustained stressful effort. Taking care of a terminally ill spouse requires endurance. Showing up and performing well at a job you do not like when you have to have the money requires endurance. Struggling with an injured relationship requires endurance. We have all endured in many different ways.
I don’t know about you, but I often forget I am in the middle of something which requires withstanding hardship – my heart calls for a pause, when it is not the time to pause. I have to remember to keep going.
Let us encourage each other to grab onto that endurance and get to the Promise! Following God’s plans in my life requires a marathon-like steadfastness and I told you, I’m a short-distance person. Thank goodness, I am not alone in this journey and neither are you. We have a Coach in our corner who will keep us moving forward, if we let him.
I am so glad I had every one of our babies. I know when I trust God, the effort is worth every minute. This is a season when Endurance is required. Let’s Do This!!!