Endeavor to Persevere

 

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. James 1:12 English Standard Version

               “Just keep putting one foot in front of the other,” intoned SSG Williams, as we ruck-marched through the forests surrounding Fort Leonard-Wood, Missouri. He gave me this advice while I was enduring Army basic training in 1981. I was a squad leader at the time, and he wanted to see me succeed. Ruck-marches were a crucial test. We started off easy short distances  and progressed until at the end we completed a twenty-mile ruck-march in order to graduate and move on to our next assignment. I think this was the fifteen miler and I was sucking wind as they say. Ruck-marches are hard. They are supposed to be. They test your mettle. Loaded down with all the accoutrements one needs to survive a week or so in combat…minus the ammunition…they put us under stress, mostly mental. Most of us severely underestimate how much we can do or endure. Until we’re pushed to the point of true collapse, we do not know how much we have inside us. Often, we’re quite surprised at our ability to endure under great stress. This is why perseverance is an important component of our spiritual experience.

               Very little in our culture encourages us to persevere. We live in a time which demands instant gratification. When computers first moved into our homes in the form of a desk-top, we agonized through minutes long downloads, or uploads if you were using a floppy-disk (how many can remember the days of floppy-disks?). Setting up a new computer meant setting aside a couple of hours to load the various software you either needed or wanted. Now, most of the time they come preloaded, or are easily set up via home Wi-Fi. Many of us live off fast-food or easily microwaveable meals because we do not want to take the time to make it from scratch, and how many of us keep a good supply of scratch? Despite our cultural norms, as Christians we’re called to something quite different.

               Throughout the Bible, we see men and women who endured, sometimes under extreme duress. David waited patiently for the promised crown, living for years as an outlaw. Abraham and Sara endured long years of childlessness before enjoying the birth of Issac. And the list goes on. Perseverance is a common experience for those who serve the Lord. It is what we are called to. Consider this passage from Hebrews:

¹ Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, ² keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2 Christian Standard Bible

            The author reminds us of several things in this passage. He calls us to “run with endurance the race that lies before us.” Now I’ve never run a marathon, though many times in the Army I had to run distances as long as ten miles, occasionally longer. Long distance running takes dedication and endurance. For me, once you get past the quarter mile pain sets in. Twice I was sucked into participating in a multi-unit competition which involved a ten-kilometer (6.6 miles) ruck march. What I did not know was that to be competitive, you had to run the entire distance. I hated that; but, the sage advice of SSG Williams came back to me. Keep putting one foot in front of the other. Jesus calls us to such endurance. Often in the midst of the race, all we can do is keep putting one foot in front of the other. That is endurance. Hebrews 12 follows the great chapter of faith in which the writer gives us a catalogue of those who’ve gone before us, putting one foot in front of the other. Then in Chapter 12 he points us to Jesus, “the pioneer and perfector.” Jesus made the journey to the cross and beyond with endurance. There were many things that He had to endure; not the least of these was the motley group of individuals we call the apostles.

¹⁹ He answered them, “You unbelieving generation! How much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I endure you? Bring him to me.” Mark 9:19 New English Translation

          Jesus put up with a group of apostles whose first tentative steps of faith did not really meet the standard. Often, he had to teach and then reteach the same lesson. But He kept at it and eventually the apostles started to get it. Much later, Paul would encourage us to hang in there.

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9

               I find this verse personally challenging. Paul reminds me that there is a season of reaping; but, that season only comes if we do not give up. Farmers well understand this concept. They plant and continue to work, anticipating a harvest months later. They persevere. They keep doing the right things, believing that when the time is right their efforts will bear fruit. And that’s the way it is in matters of faith. We must hang in there, putting one foot in front of the other until at the right time we enjoy the harvest. No one enjoys perseverance. It is hard work, but it pays off in the end. As James the brother of Jesus says,

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4

             Persevering through difficult times makes us complete, lacking in nothing. When we keep on the path, with our head down, we grow in the faith and the experience transforms us into the men that God desires. Sadly, we often quit early.

               Turning back to my experience with SSG Williams at Fort Lenoard-Wood, a truck followed behind our company. It was there to pick up those who fell out of the formation. Those who fell out did not get credit for the ruck-march. They received special attention from our drill sergeants to fix their deficiencies. This extra training got them ready to pass the final test. I was fortunate to never use the sick-lame-and-lazy truck with the associated ridicule. And this is a crucial difference between the Army and the Lord. The Lord is patient with us. Unlike the world, He does not crush us when we fail. Instead, He binds us up and helps us to try again.

³ a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. Isaiah 42:3

             We serve a patient and loving Father. He, through Jesus, understands our pain, suffering, and perhaps most importantly, our proclivity to failure. He will continue to work with us to bring forth justice.

⁶ In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, ⁷ so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. I Peter 1:6-7

           God keeps the endgame in mind. He works toward the end, toward our perfection, and He asks us to do the same. He wants us to keep putting one foot in front of the other, to hang tough, and to persevere. When we trust Him and persevere through the hard times, we find that our faith is strengthened, made genuine, and our lives glorify the Lord.

 Thought Questions:

1.      In what areas of your life are you having to persevere?

2.     What makes it hard for you to persevere?

3.     What is an area of your life that you persevered in and what was the outcome?

4.     Why do you think our culture does not like to persevere?

5.     How would it change us if we were to be more willing to persevere?