Endure, Grow, Hope
“…We also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
I have a much greater threshold for pain now that I’ve experienced childbirth.
I have a much deeper appreciation for endurance now that we’ve gone through sleep training, bottle weaning and transitioned to pre-school and seen the amazing results that come from being committed and consistent to a process (now to conquer potty training!)
I can see the growth in our son as we’ve been persistent in enduring the exhaustion, confusion, and sometimes frustration that can come with raising him and this gives me HOPE that we will continue to be able to meet every challenge we face as Miles grows older and matures. The Holy Spirit has and will continue to meet us at every turn.
I didn’t like the pain of childbirth but I got my baby. I was mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted during sleep training but now Miles is an awesome sleeper. My stomach churned the first few weeks I would drop Miles off at school, but after while he couldn’t wait to get there and had the nerve not to say goodbye to his mother!
This is God’s blueprint for endurance, growth and hope, which (un)fortunately gains its deepest roots from affliction, grief, suffering, challenges and obstacles in our lives.
God already knows what He’s made of, He knows what we’re made of and He already knows the path He’s set before us. The issue and the point is that we do not, so He uses life’s struggles to show us - to show us and remind us (again and again) of Who He is (a Warrior Who saves) and who we are, which is much stronger, tougher and resilient than we thought - not by power, and not by might but by His Spirit.
Most of us haven’t gained what we have in this life without putting in the work, and do you agree that those things we’ve worked the hardest for we also have the deepest appreciation for? Would you then believe with me that this is also the point of our trials? Our Heavenly Father LOVES to shower His children with blessings and good things but can we honestly say that we would appreciate them and do right by them if they came without doing the work? I think not. So let’s press on and submit to the plans of our Good Father as He withholds no good thing from us.
ENDURE with praise, GROW in grace and humility, and set your HOPE on The One Who’s Love never fails.
ENDURE > GROW > HOPE > REPEAT.
