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How to Develop Spiritual Endurance: Part 1

Shereyl Grubbs

Its January which means most of us are ate our way through the holidays while mapping a plan on how we will loose the extra weight. Jogging, biking, grueling fitness boot camps, there are so many options to consider when trying to build physical endurance, but what about our spirits?

Paul tells us in 2 Timothy that he has fought the good fight and finished his race. That is something each one of us should be striving for. How do we keep the faith when there are so many hurtles in life to derail us? Here is one thing we can learn from Joseph on how to build spiritual endurance.

Be Faithful

Doing something consistently in the face of adversity is faithfulness in action. Genesis 37 starts Joseph’s story. We do not have to read his journal to assume he had some bad days but we can see in his actions that he was determined to do things God’s way. When sent to check on his hateful  brothers he didn’t complain, he simply went. When tempted by the pharaohs wife he refused to sin. We have to get to the place where we choose to do what’s right when even when everything else seems wrong. Continue to go to work on time and work hard even when you have been passed over for promotion, that is faithfulness. Love your enemies instead of gossiping about them. At first it will feel like you are  huffing and puffing your way through your first mile but soon it will become a habit of behavior.

Our fleshly nature is not hard wired to act according to the word of God. That is why Romans 12:2 tells us to be renewed in our mind. Its not enough to just hear the word, it takes practical application to see life changing results. The best part is, we do not have to do this on our own. Each day if we ask God to help us he will, we don’t do it for him he does it in us and through us. All it takes is a willing heart.

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