Life seems to reward those who endure. Those who can repeatedly do the things they know they should do regardless of how they feel. The easy analogy is sports but it goes much deeper than that. In the world we see that those who can endure failures, setbacks, and suffering more than those around them ultimately win over time. 

My brother has turned his life around and I believe running, specifically long distance running, was a major reason for it. It started a little over two years ago as a 40 year old smoker who was winded playing backyard volleyball. I made a comment saying that I don't ever think I've seen him get winded so easily before. Well apparently that made him want to start running again. He struggled to run a mile and just started walking. Cut to today as I write this and he just ran 24 miles and is currently training for an ultra marathon. 

The secret? There is no secret. He runs. Day in and day out. He puts in miles. Started with mainly walking to some jogging to putting in long runs at impressive paces. He ran almost every day and he is currently on a 75 day consecutive running streak alone. 

This applies to almost all other aspects of life as well. 

We often convince ourselves that we just need to figure out what to do when in reality we know what to do but lack the will power or discipline to do it enough to see the result we wish to see. 

Alex Hormozi, accomplished entrepreneur, speaker, and business consultant states “9 times out of 10 you already know what you need to do, it just sucks. But rather than endure the discomfort we convince ourselves there is something else worth doing when there isn't." 

The answer is often simple to understand but hard to apply. If you want to get stronger you have to work out. If you want to get better at writing you have to write. If you want to get better at public speaking you have to work on public speaking and speak publicly. If you want to get better at sales you need to learn more about making sales and attempt to make more sales. If you want to have a better relationship with someone you have to invest time into building that relationship with that person. 

A simple formula could be 

Process X Time = Success

Process would be doing the thing. Doing the thing, learning about the thing, reflecting on how well you did the thing and trying again. 

Time would represent doing the thing non stop… endlessly. 

Success is definitely relative but in this context it means getting closer to your goal. Even doing the wrong thing or messing up gets you closer because you now found a way not to do it. Your definition of success might not be achieved but you are undoubtedly getting closer to the goal given you have process that makes sense and reflects upon itself.

It seems that the person who is willing to keep working, attempting, and trying will find success. But what other option is there? If you can endure the process, whatever the process is, without quitting then it will eventually lead to success. 

The most important aspect of the process is seeking wisdom, reflecting on the tactics and strategies used, then… trying again. I think of inventors who have to try hundreds if not thousands of times before getting a successful prototype. I think of business owners who continually try to learn how to grow their business and adjust their methods, I think of athletes putting in the work in the weight room. 

The ones who fail in life are those who quit, refuse to seek wisdom, and refuse to reflect on their tactics and strategies. They fail to endure.

I am not sure where this is applicable in your life but I would bet that whatever aspect of your life you want to improve actually has a simple answer but hard to apply consistently over time. The ability to trust the process and endure will be the difference. 

I have been wanting to write on this topic and have planned to write for a while now. Over the weekend my brother sends me his 24 mile run screenshot, the pastor at my church discusses Hebrews 12:1 which is about endurance, and a friend of mine led me in a bible study over The Parable of the Widow and the Unjust Judge, found in Luke 18:1-8, which teaches believers to pray persistently and not give up which is endurance once again. Also, a prayer that I have been praying fora very long time has been answered. A prayer that I have prayed over a decade…answered… All in the same weekend. 

So when it comes to this topic, it seemed like a great time to write about it despite not feeling totally qualified to do so.

The Bible mentions, directly and indirectly, by specific commands, stories, or parables, that God calls us to endure or have endurance.. But the process and fancy little formula from earlier does quite fit in a box of God who transcends time. 

Success is already pre determined by God because the Bible states “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) 

And Jesus says “it is finished” (John 19:30) on the cross meaning he has fulfilled the prophecies, defeated sin, will rise again after death in 3 days, and means he fulfilled the perfect life we couldn't and paid the price we couldn't so that we could be saved because of Him. We can enter the kingdom of heaven because of Him and what He did. 

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith (in Jesus)—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

So what is this about endurance then? If we received the free gift of heaven through grace because of what Jesus did and it's isn't about our work then what do I have to endure? This is a great question because the work that requires endurance isn't about working into Heaven, it's about working Heaven into earth…. Hear me out… 

Once we have received the free gift of salvation from the creator of the universe, our life is transformed. We no longer want to live in the ways of the world that let us down, we now want to live in the ways of God that gives eternal life. It gives us life and purpose so we want to share with others how great He is and how amazing it is to live in relation with the loving God that created us. 

We want to live a Godly and Holy life here on Earth, spread the good news of Jesus, and make more Jesus followers. These are Heavenly, Holy, things that we get to start doing right here and now on earth. 

Jesus tells his followers how to pray and an essential part of the prayer is to start creating heaven on earth.  "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:9-13

This is where endurance comes in to play. Living a Godly and Holy life that glorifies God and does his will on Earth as it is in heaven, will be difficult but purposeful. Nothing great, even by worldly standards, is easy. Great things require time and suffereing. 

Like earlier, the answer is simple but difficult to follow. We know the things we should do and we know the things we shouldn't do yet we still mess it up. Even Paul, one of the biggest authors of the New Testament struggled with this (See Romans 7:15-25). We know what is good and evil. We know we should pray and be thankful. We know we shouldnt hate others. We know when we should do good things and serve others. But we fall short. Thankfully, it is not on us doing these things to get into heaven. Jesus did these things for us and paid the price of sin for us. But these things still have an effect on us obeying God’s will in the world. It affects others. It hurts others. But the endurance comes from our process of trying to become more like Jesus. It isn't easy and not in our nature. But just like running an ultra marathon… It starts with one step, one mile, then repeat. 

Endurance, or the concept of it, is mentioned often. For example, “ Rejoice always,  pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) To pray without ceasing is endurance. That is an enduring act. To rejoice always, is an enduring act. 

In the gospel of Matthew, it states “But the one who remains faithful to the end will be saved.” These implies remaining faithful, despite any circumstances, will be save us over time. (Matthew 24:13)

Then there are the countless stories of Old Testament and New Testament of people that had to remain faithful and endure hardships for the Kingdom of Heaven and God's will. There are countless stories of people being imprisoned, titles being delayed, wandering the wilderness, waiting for God to do the things he said he would do….. This tells us a few things. 

God is worth enduring hardships and enduring any suffering. God uses time and hardships to strengthen and prepare us. The gift we received from Jesus did not save us for pleasure, it saved us for purpose. The world promised pleasure but delivered pain, emptiness, and a purposeless life. God gives us the gift of life and a purpose.  Now that we have seen and experienced how great and loving God is we are to share it with others. 

So even though Jesus defeated our sin and we have the gift of eternal life, we are still in a broken world that will have hardships and suffering. 

Like I stated earlier, there is no secret to this. How do we endure when it comes to Christianity? It’s our faith.

Faith in God, Faith in His Word, and because we have this Faith in his Word we do the things he tells us to do.

So what is faith? Choosing to trust God. It is believing He is who He says He is. It’s not a warm and fuzzy feeling. It choosing to trust that God has called on you in some way to follow him and play some role in bringing Heaven to Earth. It’s trusting his Word over your thoughts, reasoning, feelings and emotions. It choosing to trust his ways over the world’s ways. Those with faith in Him can endure anything.

Cam,

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