Empowered: Nate McMullan

Every good athlete knows that to succeed in their sport, they must spend ample time training and building endurance so that when game day arrives, they’re ready to show up and show out. The same thing is required of every Christian. We build endurance when we suffer well in the midst of trials and choose obedience in the face of temptation. And after we’ve built endurance, our faith strengthens and our enjoyment of God increases. Suffer Well There’s no question: if you’re a follower of Jesus, you will encounter trials, loss and pain on your journey. In fact, the Bible goes so far as to say that we shouldn’t be surprised when we face these things: “Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you, as if something unusual were happening to you. Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of Christ.” The second half of that verse is difficult for most of us to grasp. How does one manage to rejoice in the midst of suffering? Romans 12:12 reminds us to fixate on hope , be patient in the pain, and to pray like our lives depend on it when hard times hit. And the apostle Paul says that loss and suffering pale in comparison to knowing Christ –that gaining Him is better than gaining anything else. Here’s the best part: as we suffer well, endurance isn’t the only thing that’s produced in us. Endurance leads to character , which results in hope (which will never disappoint us) according to Romans 5:3-5 . Still not sure what this means? Consider picking up a book like this or this , or spending time with someone in your local Christian community who has embraced loss or difficulty with grace, joy and endurance. Learn from them! Choose Obedience In John 14:23 , Jesus says, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” The surest path to enjoying God fully is obeying Him completely. The commands found in Scripture are not given to us to punish or imprison us. Obedience actually leads to life, and–according to the above verse–the love of God! But make no mistake: obedience both requires and leads to greater endurance . James 4:7 says, “Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Resist is an active verb–it gives a sense of effort, sweat, and strength . And we are given this promise in our pursuit of obedience: “God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to bear it.” As you resist temptation and seek to endure in obedience, remember that God will never abandon you or leave you without a way out of sin. Consider it Joy The difficulties of the Christian life are given to us so that we might endure and become like Jesus . In fact, we should : “Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.” Our suffering and obedience aren’t for nothing! We can “consider it joy” because the endurance that we’re building ultimately leads to maturity in Christ . In short, we become better versions of ourselves as we endure. But just like athletic endurance, spiritual endurance isn’t achieved overnight. It takes countless hours, weeks, and even years of training. Thankfully, you don’t have to train alone. Come join us at FCA as we seek Jesus and build endurance together!