"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set at the right hand of the throne of God".
Hebrews 12:2 (KJV)
While it is true that the devil wants you discouraged, humiliated, and frustrated by the things he brings your way almost on a daily basis, I come to encourage you to hang in there no matter what because you will certainly reap at the end if you faint not. Jesus, our perfect example, gave us a template on how to cope with contrary situations by enduring the cross. The cross was not palatable, yet He went through the harrowing experience. He endured the pain, the mocking and the scourging. He refused to throw in the towel so that mankind could be saved and reconciled back to the Father through His death, burial and resurrection. He passed the endurance test without complaining. He endured till the end.
The word 'endure' simply means to experience and deal with something that is painful or unpleasant, without complaining. Endurance is a vital virtue for victory. It is dealing with an unpleasant situation. The question is why is God calling us to endure? The truth is that He knows there will be tendencies for us to quit at the slightest opportunity. That is why most of us quit so soon today. We quit jobs, relationships, ministry, marriage and we even quit church too soon. The Lord is looking for those who will endure because there are benefits at the end.
How did Jesus endure? We are told in the scriptures that Jesus for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross. In other words, He kept His eyes on the goal. He refused to look at the pain; He stayed focussed. I challenge you to keep your eyes on the joy that is set before you and hang in there because you will surely come out of it.
Further reading: Mark 13:13, 2 Timothy 2:3, Psalms 30:5; 34:19
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