For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.  Hebrews 10:36

Most of us have a bucket list; those things that we want to experience or accomplish during our lifetime. Praise God—He is blessing me to check some things and places off of my list. At this present moment, I am in Sydney, Australia enjoying their summertime weather, and the sights and sounds of this beautiful city at Christmastime. After a short excursion of Sydney then we’re off to Melbourne for a few days before returning to the States.

Australia has been on my list of things to do for quite some time. I would say it’s been a dream for more than 20 years. God is faithful! He does give us the desires of our heart.

One of our planned activities in Sydney was to visit the beach; as a matter of fact, the Airbnb where we spent the first few nights was located on Bondi beach. We got up early Christmas morning and headed to the beach before going to a special Christmas service at Hillsong Church. Bondi beach is part of the Pacific Ocean. As I stepped my feet into the water, I wanted to withdraw them quickly because the water was so cold. Rather than pull my feet out, I allowed the water to roll over them again, yikes … it’s still so cold. I had a decision to make, endure the cold water until my body adjusts to the temperature of the water or abandon the idea of enjoying the thrashing ocean waves.

Since I am not a quitter, I continued to allow the icy cold water to splash against my body until it finally felt comfortable. In hindsight the cold water wasn’t too bad, I just had to make up my mind to tolerate the unpleasant feeling for a short while. Notice what happened, the temperature of the water didn’t change, my body and attitude made the adjustments.

The scenario I described above correlates to many of our life circumstances. At first, they may be uncomfortable and unpleasant, not exactly what we signed up for. Therefore, our first thought or reaction is to turn and run in the opposite direction, abandoning the undesirable situation altogether. Yes, that’s an easy cop-out. Nevertheless, by doing so, you forfeit the reward that would come with enduring the unpleasantness for a short period.

Throwing in the towel is an option. However, what many do not realize is that God usually tests our motives and faithfulness by having us face the unwanted before giving us that which we desire. God wants to know, why did you say yes? Can He trust you in the tough times? Are you a quitter or are you tenacious?

The promise of the reward goes to those who do not faint. “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” Galatians 6:9

To enjoy the delicious fruit of life, business or ministry, we must have strong mental, emotional and spiritual muscles. Our muscles are developed by tolerating the unpleasant and preserving through the difficult tasks. Just make the necessary attitude adjustments.

Consider this quote from a man that was imprisoned for 27 years…

“Prison is itself a tremendous education in the need for patience and perseverance. It is above all a test of one’s commitment. Those who passed through that school have all acquired a firmness, tempered by a remarkable resilience.”

Nelson Mandela

May this new year be a time of strengthening our tolerance and perseverance muscles.

Happy New Year!

 

Posted by on Wednesday, January 2nd, 2019 @ 1:50AM
Categories: Inspirational