Endure
I received and email from a football player I'm currently encouraging. He wrote:
"I have to think that hard times mold us and make us stronger. Funny how we remember the picks and fumbles in games and they still cause pain- and the TDS seem to fade."
When you sleep with a coach you know the mental anguish of "what ifs." You feel him tossing and turning in bed and know he is playing things over and over in his minds and it is the same for the players.
I wrote this young man and said,
Oh, sweet one. Struggles do mold us. There is so much wisdom in recognizing that, not only in football, but in life! We are quick to remember the hurts and heartache, stifling the joy and blessings which are right there in front of us for reflection.
My prayer focus for you is for your mind. I'm asking God to allow you to have the joy of the Lord and the realization of the depth of God’s love for you and for that to bring a refreshment to your mind and soul that is indescribable.
I pray that prayer for all of us on those nights when the "what could have beens" are on our minds.
One “mom” regret I have is not keeping a “Book of Remembrances” to pass on.
I wish I’d written down every little and big prayer God answered. The times he redirected our paths and turned our panics into praise. The times he flat out showed up and unexpectedly blew us away. The times our obedience seemed like it would be a burden and in reality it held a blessing we could have missed had we not trusted and obeyed.
We are so quick to forget those things which have been provided, because we are focused on the hurdles ahead. It’s such a great thought that Jesus has already gone ahead of us in all we are facing.
Hebrews 10:35-36 is a great verse when we must endure...
Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. (The full passage is below.)
Check out this definition of the word endure- suffer patiently; remain in existence.
Hebrews 10:32-39
"But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.
For,'Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.' But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.
