Inspiration for Your Week #9
Happy Monday, everyone! Lately, I’ve been learning a bit about an unusual topic–climbing Mount Everest. My mom just finished reading aloud a true story about a man who descended Mt. Everest snow-blind, and we watched several documentaries that helped to give an idea of the challenges that climbers face. Two things stood out at me after hearing each story–first, the solid conviction that I will never climb Mt. Everest! 😊 Second–the need to endure. Those athletes had to endure bitter cold, hunger, painful muscles, low oxygen, exhaustion, and separation from their families. I can’t even imagine living through a blizzard with sub-zero temperatures and 80-m.p.h. winds on the side of Everest.
On a slightly different note, I’ve read many stories of believers who suffered for Christ in unimaginable circumstances. Lately, I read Tortured for His Faith by Harlan Popov. These believers also needed endurance. They too faced intense cold and heat, hunger, thirst, dirt, sickness, labor, separation and pain. I began thinking about what is necessary for endurance–acceptance and hope.
Acceptance is necessary–but it’s not a despairing kind of acceptance. It’s an understanding, “This is where I am, and this is what’s going on. I must deal with what is, not with what I wish was.” As a believer, we find this acceptance by recognizing that ultimately, God is in control of our circumstances. Nothing that happens in our life is a surprise or unknown to Him. We are able to accept because His grace is–present tense–sufficient for us (2 Corinthians 12:9). Because He comforteth us–present tense–in all our tribulation (2 Cor. 1:3-5).
Hope is crucial because we realize that this life is not the end. Our trials are temporary. Beyond them, heaven awaits–eternally. We find hope as we wait on the Lord, strengthening our hearts through His word. We look beyond the temporal to the eternal. Some trials are so very painful–emotionally, mentally, physically. And Christ sees our pain, He counts our tears, He knows what we go through (Heb. 4:14-16). He is with us every step of the way, even when we cannot see Him or feel His presence. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Cor. 4:16-18).
Ultimately, looking unto Jesus is the key to endurance, acceptance, and hope! Therefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 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 down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds (Hebrews 12:1-3).
Last week, as part of my Bible course, I listened to a sermon that was such a blessing that I just had to link it here for you. I hope it is a blessing to you as well! Have a great week!
Love,
Naomi
