To endure is greater than to dare; to tire out hostile fortune; to be daunted by no difficulty; to keep heart when all have lost it; to go through intrigue spotless; to forego even ambition when the end is gained—who can say this is not greatness.
~William Makepeace Thackeray (1811-1863)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the Founder and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?
~ Hebrews 12:1-5
Oh beloved, it is true. There is this great drag on us as we live the Life He has set before us. So many things, and spirits buffet us as He leads deeper into and through enemy territory; as we dispense the Light He is in us and through us. And when, especially, we get a chance to share the core of the good news with those living in the darkest of areas – the darkest of forces will work to shake us from our standing in Christ.
People and demons will mock us.
People and demons will laugh at us.
People and demons will call us self-righteous and self-promoting.
People and demons will call us religious nuts.
People and demons will lie about us.
People and demons will intend to hurt us.
People will dismiss us (but demons will not, for we are a definite problem for evil).
And as these events occur, we will feel that we have in some way failed. Often the feeling of failure is more that we do not like the feelings we get when people laugh at us, or manifest their dislike for us or the good news we present. And demons will assail us with all of the failure in our life, and present our brokenness as some sort of proof that our message has been delivered without effect.
And all of these feelings are wrong.
Can we see it? That which others mean for evil, G_d always means for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. He both allows – and manufactures for us – these circumstances that He might expand the bore and stroke (width and depth) of our ability to serve Him and love others with the Love He has put into us.
This fool of a writer is going through the process right now. It hurts. My failures, and His expansion of His capacity within me combine to cause considerable discomfort. But, all the way through it, He is showing me that He doing this to bring about His greater glory, and my good. So, the course here – is most surely – to keep my eyes on Him, and let Him do the perfecting of my sometimes weak, and often-immature faith.
Feeling the heat yourself friend? Let Him work. He is the very best mechanic for our souls. He Designed them Himself, and knows their very inner workings. He’ll get you fixed just right at just the right time.
