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."
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