“And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.”

Matthew 10:22

So far, I think one of the hardest fruits to develop is longsuffering. It is painful, yet beneficial at the same time. Painful because loss occurs, warfare increases, loneliness develops, yet through it all there’s a purpose and plan to be shown.

Sometimes, I ask myself why do I have to go through all this? It seems like an endless battle with hits and turns. I have learned that the posture through our afflictions is to endure. Ofcourse, in the moment, that may not always be the mindset, but the Lord carries us through in our low points, He is our strength. If we remain in Him, He will not fail us nor forsake but we must keep our minds stayed on Him.

No, I do not want to suffer, but as disciples of the most High, it is one of the things we are called to do. Just as Christ suffered, we will also. While in our suffering, this is where our posture of endurance comes in. Not focused on the outward circumstance, but focused on Him, who we know will be faithful.

We see throughout the Bible, men and women of God, who went through various test and trials, but throughout their suffering they learned to remain focus on the Lord. A continual diligence to come back to the Lord, even when things seemed like they were falling apart.

Yes, trusting in the Lord, when everything is great is easy, but when life hits, and you feel the weights coming to knock you down. This is the time for endurance. Knowing that the Lord has carried you through before, and He is able to do it again. This is not always the mindset, but digging deep, reflection can shift you back to how good He has been, is, and will be.

Endure. I know it is hard to maintain through all that is going on, but take it one step at a time. The Lord is with us in every step we take..