Read the transcript from today's video devotional.
Patient endurance. Those two words together are just hard. Think about life and all that confronts us on a daily basis, maybe seasons of difficulty that some of us are walking through, or maybe we remember a time where everything just felt hard. It was difficult to navigate life.
Maybe you're thinking of someone that you know that's waiting for results for a medical test that will reveal some really important news. Maybe you're waiting for that job news to come through, whether you got it or you didn't. Maybe there's something going on in your family that you're wondering if it's going to work out the way that you hope.
The Context of Endurance
That phrase in this verse just jumps off the page at me, because it says that patient endurance is what you need so that you will continue to do the will of God. In the context where this verse is found, the book of Hebrews, it's talking about the assurance of the faith that we have with God.
What's interesting is the reader of this letter in this section that we're talking about would have seen a description of how they were subject to scrutiny because of their faith in Jesus. They were standing alongside people who were persecuted. Some of their closest friends and comrades in the faith were captured and thrown into prison. They were having to hide in holes. He describes how some of their possessions were plundered. They literally are suffering as a result of their yes to Christ. Yet the encouragement is patient endurance will lead to what you've been promised in Him.
Running the Race
I think about a very silly imagery in relation to what we're talking about. It's running in a marathon. I love to run. It's something that's been really important for my mental health and fitness, and I just enjoy it. There are times where I've chosen to take on a longer race- a half marathon is as far as I've gone, but I remember being in the middle of that marathon thinking, "Why in the world would I have voluntarily signed up for this?"
I still got a ways to go. I'm too far to go back to the beginning. I'm right in the middle of this thing. My body's aching. I need to figure out a way forward. The thing that I need is patient endurance. It's interesting when you say it in those active terms, because now it's not just simply sitting and waiting around, but patience and endurance colliding in the middle of running a marathon looks a little different.
My patience is trusting the process. One foot in front of the other will get me to the place where I'll finally reach the finish line. Endurance says keep going. Don't quit.
Keep Taking the Next Right Step
Maybe in your faith journey today, you need to hear this reminder—a call toward patient endurance. It's not for us to throw up our hands and give up on life, but it's patiently waiting for God to do what only He can do as we take the next right steps in our journey with Him.
It says at the end of this verse, it's only as a result of our waiting, our open handedness, and our endurance that we will receive what He intends for us to have. Be encouraged wherever you're at on your journey today. Keep taking the next right step. Patiently waiting for God to do the thing you've been hoping for Him to do.
