Endure Hardship

Let no one deceive you. The true Christian life is never an easy one!

For some, it could also be a painful and costly one. Hence, if we do not understand why we need to endure, we can easily give up following Jesus. Therefore it essential that we know the reason. Then we will not grumble and complain when things get difficult in life. We will also not jeopardise our salvation by living a careless life. We will endure to the end.

First, let us understand that we do not go immediately to Heaven after believing Jesus. It will only happen on the day when we leave the earth. So from now until that day, we are called to live by faith. This simply means to believe and obey his Word as long as we live.

God’s purpose is that our faith is proved genuine and secondly it may result in eternal rewards and glory. So each believer is required to run the race of faith to the end. Whoever perseveres and completes the race will not fail to receive the rewards that God will give to those who are faithful.

However, many things can hinder us from completing this race. Beside the constant struggle to keep ourselves from sins, we also face many things in life that challenge our faith.

For example, we will discover that our prayers do not always get answered, we still face painful trials, we encounter ‘bad’ Christians, we ask for healing yet remain sick, we get persecuted for doing right, we face frequent temptations from Satan, and so on. In fact, our struggle to keep the faith will continue all the way until we leave this world. Therefore, we need to endure.

Now let us listen to what Jesus says about the 4 different groups of people who hears his Word (Gospel). Then we can see more clearly why it is absolutely necessary for believers to persevere.

The first group hears the Gospel but does not understand what is being preached. So Satan comes and takes away the Word from their hearts. As a result, they reject the Gospel and continue to live in unbelief. These are the unbelievers who never get to know God and have their sins forgiven. They follow the world and are not in the race of faith. Unfortunately, 80-90% of the people in this world belong to this group.

The second group hears the Gospel and accepts it with joy. However, they do not last long in the faith. They believe for a short time when life is easy. But when life becomes hard as a Christian, they fall away and follow Jesus no more.

This happens because they neither spend time to know God or his Word. When trouble or persecution comes, they quickly turn back to the world. Hence, this group starts the race but never finishes it. Unfortunately, the people in this group will also perish like the previous group who rejects the Gospel.

The third group hears the Gospel and follows Jesus, but not wholeheartedly. They fail to guard their hearts against the things of the world. As a result, they are choked by worries, the lure of riches and the pleasures of this world.

So this group of Christians do not mature in their faith. They care more about earthly life than living for God and obeying his commands. Bible calls these Christians unfruitful. They may seem to have finish the race but they do not run according to the rules. Therefore, they stand to lose the rewards that could be theirs in Heaven. More seriously, they could even find themselves punished in hell as the Bible warns in many places.

The fourth group hears the Gospel and embraces the truth. They understand that after being saved from sins, they should now live their lives for God and his Kingdom. So they persevere to put God’s Word into practice. As a result, they live a changed life that produces many good deeds.

These Christians are called fruitful in the Bible. They also endure hardship and persecution without giving up their faith. They fully understand that the Heavenly rewards for being obedient and faithful far outweigh their present sufferings and sacrifices here on earth. So they press on to finish the race and win the prize.

Jesus Christ is our prime example. He would not trade the joy and reward of Heaven for one moment of sinful pleasure or the lure of earthly treasures. So he went about doing good and obeyed God completely to the end, even death on the Cross. Because of this, God exalted Jesus Christ to the highest place in Heaven and placed all things under him.

So let us remember that whatever that is earthly is temporary. It will soon pass away like the wind. But the rewards and positions in Heaven are eternal for those who obey God. Therefore like Jesus, let us fix our eyes on Heaven and run with perseverance to the end. We will be richly rewarded if we do not give up.

Prayer

Loving Father, I do not want to forget the wonderful things you have prepared for me in Heaven. So help me not to lose sight of eternity. Strengthen me by your Holy Spirit to endure to the end and keep the faith. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen