Looking back, what many things can you say you have endured yet overcome? Even when you overcome a thing, a person, a situation, loss, divorce, or depression, it doesn’t mean that other things aren’t going to arise to test your endurance once again. It’s just like enduring trials and tribulations or going through Spiritual Warfare, but truth be told, the enduring is your beginning, not your ending. The Bible tells us in the (NKJV) of Matthew 24:13 “But he who endures to the end will be saved,” meaning that the one who perseveres in their faith until the end, whether the end of their life or a major period of tribulation, will ultimately receive salvation.
Most of us think to isolate from family and friends when enduring our storms, and while isolated, we hope and pray to hear from God about what to do or how to handle the situation. God allows us to endure, He says it’s necessary because it increases our faith in Him, builds our confidence in ourselves, and teaches us to sit still, listen to, and trust what He has to say. He will guide us wide-eyed to do what’s right. While in isolation, pray, seek God, meditate, fast, and read and study your scriptures. Grow closer to God so that He may grow closer to you. Never think that your endurance is the end. That pain, hurt, confusion, grief, anger, bitterness, or hatred you feel must go. These things are not of God. But still, feeling these things doesn’t mean it’s the end either. Your beginning starts with these negative feelings and emotions. You endure the uncomfortableness and the uneasiness at times of not knowing how to explain your feelings or the cause of them, and you won’t know at times who to talk to or where to turn to for help, but God is listening. He’s always listening and waiting for you to come to Him with your burdens, so that He can absolve (free) you from them.
Once you have endured and decided to stay on the battlefield, realize here that you have weathered your storm, and you have come out on the other side stronger for it. You became bent during your test but not broken. You stayed rooted to God regardless and you overcame. Now, begins your journey to self-reflect and ensure that you walk the path God has set forth before you to walk. You must stay the course and understand the purpose God has for you, because “what’s for you is for you.” I endured much just these last two years and at one point I didn’t think I would survive, I thought that the end was here, and I didn’t have the strength to get up and fight, couldn’t fight it at first, forgetting that God was my source of strength, and that He would see me through, and He did and still is my source of strength. He is my rock and shelter in times of storms. Not only was He fighting my battles for me, but He was guiding me, leading me, and showing me how to fight my own battles through Him and His son Jesus Christ. When the clouds cleared, and I reappeared, I reappeared renewed, restrengthened, refocused, re-shifted, and determined. I chose to keep both of my hands on the plow and not look back at what put me in that place, my enduring season, and decided to bask and glow in my beginning, in my newness of being remade completely whole in the Lord. I am grateful to God for allowing me to endure because I gained clarity about much, and you will as well.
So, if anyone is thinking that they’re tired of enduring and going through, just remember, it’s necessary, it’s for a reason, and God has allowed it. You are very much stronger than you know, give yourselves some credit for at least always getting back up and refusing to stay down. Until next time folks, stay blessed!
