The Power of Patterns

I read an article recently on the ways that "privilege", in particular, "white privilege" shapes the world. The author cited examples and made her case that something as simple as the color of our skin can impact the quality of the opportunities that come our way, and ultimately the outcomes that we experience.

While she made a good point, I think she failed to demonstrate that skin color is only one of hundreds, if not thousands, of things that impact the way we get along in the world. In fact, our skin color may not be anywhere near the most important.

I have been thinking about another set of factors that have a large impact on our overall quality of life (however you choose to define 'quality'). These factors are the "patterns" or "habits" that become part of our daily, weekly and life-long approach to doing life.

Take, for example, the pattern of weekly church attendance and the decision to largely disengage from the regular weekly activities of work and entertainment for a single day. I'm talking about Sundays, or what some would refer to as a "Sabbath rest." I think it is fair to say that this pattern has been largely abandoned today, even among Christians. I say that not to scold or condemn, but only to point out that your actual approach to the week and to life will be significantly different if you choose to set Sunday apart for worship and for rest. Your Monday-Saturday will probably look different if you make a conscious decision to take Sunday off and devote much of the day to worship-gatherings and spiritual care for your body and soul.

My point in bringing up this particular pattern is that, in my experience, there is a substantially different quality of life enjoyed by those (no matter what their skin color, race, economic or social status is) who have put this pattern into practice. It is not that they don't have troubles. But there is a notable difference in, shall we say, the sort of "drama" that accompanies the lives of others that I either work with or know. Maybe it is an accountability thing. That could certainly be a part of the wisdom that God Himself determined would be good for mankind.

This pattern of a weekly day of rest ends up doing all sorts of things to the rest of our lives. It impacts, to some degree, the friends we keep. It impacts how we work on the other days. It influences the types of activities that we give our hearts to (will they intrude, regularly, into our day of rest?). It certainly forces us (in the best sense of that word) to take both a mental and physical break with such regularity that I wonder about the positive health implications that are enjoyed. I think there are arguably benefits that flow to families, children and marriages from this pattern of rest.

So, while the color of our skin may have some impact on the way in which we experience society and opportunities, I think it is unfair to ignore the impact of other things, like patterns of behavior and activity, which also influence our life. Our approach to Sunday is just one of those.

Of course, most readers will know that this pattern has its roots in the Bible. It appears to be something that God put in place from the very beginning, using His own example of a 6-day Creation to set the pattern for mankind to follow in our daily lives. The was re-affirmed in the 10 Commandments. Sanctified by the example of Jesus Himself in the Gospels. Followed by the early church, with the noticeable change of that "rest" day to Sunday, in honor of Christ's resurrection.

I wonder what other patterns impact the quality of the life we live. What daily habits influence our outcomes, or at least enable us to react to circumstances with maturity, grace and patience? It is tempting to think that things outside our control (like skin color or birth place) are the real reason for the quality of our lives. I suppose it is equally tempting to totally ignore those factors too. But I think we would do well to spend more time thinking about the things we can do, and have had consistent results, in the lives of those who do them. A pattern of Sunday rest and worship is just one of those things. But it may be worth thinking about.

The Beauty of Endurance

"But they who endure to the end shall be saved." Matthew 24:13


Endurance delights God. Christ specifically praises the Ephesian church in Revelation 2:3 saying "you have persevered and have patience...and have not become weary."

Endurance is not so beautiful to us. It is often painful. It isn't pretty. It isn't flashy.

Endurance has been called "long obedience in the same direction." Endurance means continuing in the faith even when, especially when, that faith is not popular with our culture.

John Bunyan in his classic Pilgrim's Progress wrote of those who enjoy religion, faith, church, prayers...only when they provided an advantage. He introduced Mr. By-ends who would profess his faith only when such actions were acceptable to those around. Mr. By-ends compares himself to others by saying "They are for Religion when in rags and contempt; but I am for him when he walks in his golden slippers, in the sunshine, and with applause."

Endurance means faith in Christ when such faith is viewed culturally "in rags and contempt."

I like what John Piper had to say about endurance, particularly about endurance within the church even when you are not in the limelight.

"Absolutely indispensable in the ongoing life of the church of God is the power to keep going month after month, year after year, even decade after decade in the path of obedience. And for many of us that will mean long-haul endurance in a particular ministry in spite of emotional and relational and spiritual and financial obstacles, even when the encouragements of the limelight and the attention and the glory and the admiration are gone, and we feel like the joys of life are passing us by.”

Churches can go through seasons of blessed growth. Things are exciting. Revival is grand. People are coming to faith, being baptized, following the Lord. Every meeting seems to have the aroma of joy and the Spirit's power. Thank the Lord for such times.

But endurance means continuing in faithfulness even when the numbers are declining. Interest is lagging. The excitement has died down. What happens then?

Endurance.

Christ delights as much in the enduring, though despised, church as He does over the church enjoying the blessings of growth, hearty fellowship and fruitful ministry. In fact, I think it pleases Him even more to see His children endure under seasons of affliction than it does when they obey in times of abundance. Paul calls the Lord in Romans 15:5 "The God of endurance...".

C.H. Spurgeon said "Faith healing is grand, but faith enduring is grander."

What about you and me?

Are we prepared to endure even when faith is unpopular? Will I keep going to church even if my particular ministry gets no attention? Do I have to be in the limelight to endure? Will I keep praying even when my prayers "appear" to go unanswered?

Endurance is the sweetest smelling flower of grace in the believer's garden. It is planted by God Himself. He waters it with grace. Christ loves endurance. He modeled it for us. "Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted."

Statistics suggest that suicide is a growing matter for concern. And it is. But I wonder if what we are seeing in the natural world is simply mimicking what has already occurred in the religious world. People are committing spiritual suicide by leaving the faith, quitting on Christ, giving themselves up to the world. The natural effects may be flowing from spiritual causes.

When you are tired, and feel like giving up, remember the beauty of endurance. Christ sees it differently than we do. From our side it looks rough, difficult, hard. It is. But from Christ's view in heaven endurance is a glorious thing. And what he promised to Paul, He promises to you: "My grace is sufficient, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."