Daily Devotion
The Secret of Endurance
Created: Monday, 02 September 2019 18:41
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1 PETER:6-7
Peter comes to the actual situation in life that his readers found themselves in. Their Christianity had always made them unpopular, but now they were facing almost certain persecution. Soon the storm was going to break, and life was going to be an agonizing thing. In the face of that threatening situation, Peter, in effect, reminds them of three reasons why they can stand anything that may come upon them.
(1st) They can stand anything because of what they are able to look forward to. In the end, there is for them the magnificent inheritance, life with God. In any event, the ultimate meaning is the same. For the Christian persecution and trouble are not the end; beyond lies the glory; in the hope of that glory he can endure anything that life brings to him. It is one of the basic facts of life that a person can endure anything so long as he has something to look forward to---and the Christian can look forward to ultimate heavenly joy.
(2nd) They can stand anything that comes if they remember that every trial is, in fact, a test. The trials that come to a person tests his faith and out of him that faith will emerge stronger than ever before. In this world, trials are not meant to take strength out of us but to put the strength into us.
In this connection, there is something most suggestive in the language Peter uses. He says that the Christian, for the moment, may have to undergo various/many-colored trials. Our troubles may be 'many-colored', but so is the grace of God; there is no 'color' in the human situation that grace cannot match. There is grace to match every trial and there is no trial without its grace.
(3rd) You can stand up to anything because, at the end of it, when Jesus appears, you will receive from Him praise, glory, and honor. In this life, we make our biggest efforts and do our best work, not for profit or pay, but in order to see the light in someone's eyes and to hear their words of praise. The Christian knows that, if he endures, he will, in the end, hear the Master's "well done!"
The recipe for endurance when life is hard and faith is difficult: we can stand up to anything because of the greatness to which we can look forward, every trial is another test to strengthen and purify our faith and because at the end of it, Jesus is waiting to say,
"Well done!" to all of His faithful servants
Life Application
You have just read the secret of endurance. Now put what you have read to work in your life. Don't let the devil try to discourage you. You are a winner. Run the race to its end.
Praise/Prayer
Dear Father, I'm so thankful that You have planned for Your children to win the battles. You have also equipped Your children to not be forgetful. I am so thankful that Jesus came to earth and proved to us that we don't have to let the devil defeat us. Your plans for Your children are that we are more than conquerors. Amen!
