Prayer Cards: E is for Endurance

A few years ago, I had a spiritual mountain top experience. I can’t say that I’ve had many of those. Actually, I’ve only had this one… so far.

This time was so sweet. I seemed to be cocooned from worldly influences and each day I spent several hours in worship and hearing God speak rich promises to me. My faith was set on fire. My prayer life was intense and my intimacy with God was incredible.

This lasted several months and at the end of that time, the Lord spoke to me through Hebrews 10:35-39, part of which says, “For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.”

I didn’t know it at the time, but this was the conclusion of the mountain top experience.

Like Peter, James, and John, I too traveled back down the mountain top into everyday life (see Luke 9:28-37). Into the noise, the demands, the mundane. Into the icky stuff that seems so un-spiritual.

I’ve often asked the Lord why. Why do things have to seem so mundane? Why aren’t those promises happening like I thought they would? Why don’t I feel the intimacy with Him like I did then? Have I done something or failed to do something? Why can’t I have the same level of worship, adoration, and faith? It is a natural tendency to ask these things…but these questions are not reflective of being spiritually minded.

These questions simply show how quick I am to relate with God on human terms instead of relating out of trusting, abiding relationship. In the years since that mountain top experience, He has taught me to go back to Hebrews 10 and that word “endurance.” 

The Christian walk is about endurance.

It isn’t about having my spiritual ducks in a row or having my spiritual life look a certain way. It isn’t even about seeing God’s promises fulfilled in my life. It is about having a rock solid faith in my God who will not fail me. Ever. And that rock solid faith requires perseverance. 

It requires taking up the Sword and doing warfare. It requires persevering in the truth.

I can’t be a wimpy Christian. I can’t have quiet time each morning and demand instant spiritual gratification. Or instant spiritual fruit. I can’t wonder where God is each time I experience a bump in the road or wonder if He’s given up on me each time I fail or sin.

“My righteous one will live by faith; and if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him.” (verse 38)

 

Over the past several years, God has taught me that faith requires perseverance and a bold, tenacious one at that.

{{Sort of a side note to praying scripture for your children, but as I prepared this post it was burning in my heart~ smile}}

Endurance is something God says we have need of.  This is a great virtue to pray for our kids as well as ourselves.  And we need to know that endurance is something God works into our lives in the messy, mundane of life… not on the mountain top.

If you are in the messy, noisy place today, be encouraged. God is working endurance into your life and you will not be disappointed, for “after you have done the will of God, you will receive what was promised.”

 

 

E is for Endurance prayer card

 

Click here to download the Prayer Card for E: Endurance

Before you go, sign up for our Praying the Promises for Your Children 40-Day Challenge below:

 

Click here to subscribe

Similar Posts

10 Comments

  1. The Christian walk is about endurance ? I’ve never heard it expressed that way before, but I think it’s true. Another word might be perseverance–and then trust. Trusting God as we endure and persevere. Thank you!

    1. I know, Kathleen, it isn’t a word that comes to mind first when describing the Christian life….as American Christians. I can assure you that it does for believers in other parts of the world! I did a brief word study on that word endurance and you would be amazed how it is used in scripture. Interesting.

  2. SO good: “It is about having a rock solid faith in my God who will not fail me. Ever. And that rock solid faith requires perseverance.”

    Early in my walk of faith, reading through Revelation I was struck-impressed- with this: “This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people.” (Rev 13:10) And the goal of God’s testing of us is for our refining into endurance. (James 1:3) Out of His love and wisdom, He gives us the mundane, the trying circumstances, the times of feeling distant from Him. ~and it’s in knowing (that) that I’ve endured (and desperately pressed in to Him for help!) And I must say, God used my heart for my children’s faith and endurance to cause me to press in more diligently than I might otherwise have.

    I love your mission and your heart. God bless the mama’s gleaning from your wisdom Arabah Joy!

  3. I thought that I “mistakenly” landed on your website. Then was reminded of how amazing and all knowing our God is as the reminder of endurance was jyst for me right now. Thank you Holy Spirit for sending me here when I needed it most and thank you Arabah for being such a wonderful vessel of God’s word. It’s so refreshing!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.