Why Christians need to Endure

By Melissa McLaughlin

Enduring to reach the goal

It was not what we expected.

With a list of errands in hand, we stopped at a nearby store planning to run in, grab an item or two and cruise on to the next destination.

Eagerly, we gathered up the things we needed, perused a few clearance racks, and sauntered over to the checkout area assuming we would glide on through. One look and we stopped in our tracks.

The checkout line stretched a mile long. From the registers at the front of the store, all the way through the aisles, extending to the back. Like a line of marching ants diligent to reach the apple pie crumbs at a backyard picnic. And this was not a holiday shopping sale!

We took our place at the back of the line and joked with other customers near us. We inched our way forward, checking the time, monitoring each transaction, hoping somehow a surge of sales clerks would rush to our rescue moving the line forward like the starting gun at a horse race.

Instead, we waited, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes until we reached the first checkout sign.

“Your wait from this point is only 15 minutes.”

15 more minutes? A few sighs and half-giggles. The jokes were growing thin.

Slowly we baby-stepped our way to the next checkout sign. “Your wait from this point is only 10 minutes.”

We watched as customer after customer laid their items on the checkout counter. One by one by one. The reality was “only 10 minutes from here” now became 20.

“This is ridiculous. The wait is just too long,” we muttered to ourselves.

Other shoppers abandoned their hopeful purchases and left the store.

“Should we just leave?” we wondered.

Looking back to keep going forward

We glanced over our shoulders to see where the checkout line ended and now it was even longer than before.

It seemed foolish to abandon ship after all this time.

“We’ve waited this long. We’re not giving up now,” declared my husband.

We held out, made it to the checkout register, purchased our items and thanked God that ordeal was behind us. Apparently, there was a rush of shoppers on a day the store was short staffed. In the grand scheme of things, it was nothing more than a small frustration. We all have more serious matters to endure.

Looking back to endure

No matter the challenge, however, sometimes we need to look back and remember how far we have come, in order to encourage ourselves not to give up now.

Endurance for Christians

As followers of Christ, there are many scriptures about endurance, so the phrase “keep on keeping on” is part of our faith journey.

A critical point to recall… endurance does not look pretty. Endurance is hard. Endurance takes grit. Endurance takes strength.

What does endurance look like?

Sometimes endurance is white-knuckle clinging to Jesus for dear life.

Sometimes endurance is calling out His name because we have no other words left to pray. Jesus, Jesus. Jesus. The Father sees our heart. The Spirit cries from within. There is power in His name.

Are you enduring?

Are you enduring a difficult season? Hang in there.

Are you persevering through depression, anxiety, sorrow, fear, loss of family, loss of a job, loss of health? Don’t give up.

Take heart, my friend. Jesus loves you. Jesus is with you. He will be with you to the end.

How to endure a difficult time

Our greatest need, no matter what we are going through, is to abide in Christ.

How do we abide in Christ?

• Remember Jesus. He endured such suffering to win us for heaven. We can endure to be with Him!
• Pray. Lord, remind me of Jesus’ great endurance on the cross. Renew my strength with His love. Show me how to take the next step and walk with you by the power of your Holy Spirit.
• Read the Bible. Father, lead me to scriptures that will minister to my soul.
• Sing or listen to songs of praise and worship. It is Well with My Soul is one of my favorites.
• Thank God for each small blessing. Thank you, Lord, for the gift of life and breath. For food and clean water. Let me see your blessings all around.
• Walk outside and look at the beauty of God’s creation. Almighty God, captivate my view. Let me see the beauty of the sky above and the wonders you have made. Help me remember You are LORD of all!
• Reach out to a trusted friend to pray aloud with you. God, give me the willingness to ask for prayer. The prayers of your people are powerful!

Why do Christians need to endure?

Here are 5 reasons:

1. Endurance grows our maturity in Christ. (God shapes and disciplines those He loves.)
2. Endurance helps us finish the race.
3. We’ve come this far, it’s foolish to give up now.
4. We encourage those who come behind us.
5. Jesus is worth it.

Hold on my friend! Hold on to Jesus. He has gone ahead to prepare a place for us. Endure to the end! Don’t give up now!

Scriptures About Endurance

Matthew 24:12-14 – Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Matthew 10:22 – “And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.“

James 1:12 – Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

Hebrews 12:1 – Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.

Hebrews 10:36 – For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.

2 Timothy 4:5-8 – But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

Colossians 1:9-14 – For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Hebrews 10:23 – Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

Hebrews 10:36 – You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.

Additional Resources:

Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant By Melissa McLaughlin

Waiting Well by Melissa McLaughlin

The Joy of Brokenhearted Praise by Melissa McLaughlin

Our King is Coming by Melissa McLaughlin