Virtues over Vices - Endurance

 

[Jesus said] “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens. I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you. Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’” (Revelation 3:7–13 ESV).

 

Teresa of Ávila said, “Out of suffering comes the serious mind; out of salvation, the grateful heart; out of endurance, fortitude; out of deliverance faith. Patient endurance attends to all things.” Patient endurance is the ability to withstand hardship and difficult situations without giving up, maintaining hope and a positive attitude while waiting for things to improve. It is an active and productive virtue, distinct from passive resignation, that strengthens character and leads to achieving one's goals. It involves steadfastness, perseverance, and courage in the face of trials, whether they are self-inflicted, due to the world's brokenness, or other circumstances.  Jesus suffered terribly because of how sinful our world is. After suffering, Jesus even died because of our sins. He endured suffering and died so that our sins would be atoned for and our deaths could be overcome. Then, on the third day, Jesus rose from the dead in triumph—yet we must not lose sight of his suffering.

 

The believers who made up the church in ancient Philadelphia (in Greece) held tightly to the story of Jesus’ suffering. It inspired them enough to face their own suffering and persecution. And Jesus said they would be rewarded for their steadfast endurance. In our reading today, what is called “patience” is more like extreme patience. It’s the kind of patience that is required to endure doing the right thing and living the right way even when you can’t see any benefit in doing so. It is the virtue of holding on even when the reward might not come in this life.

 

The reward is eternal life, though we see the good of patient endurance in little ways today as well. I’ve often come to a task that is not particularly “fun,” bit simply had to be done. These are usually the mundane tasks of the day, laundry, dishes, cooking, cleaning, and the like. While these things cannot compare in severity or difficulty to other circumstances we will be challenged by, I have learned that if I start the task and simply measure my success in smaller parts of the whole, finishing them seems easier and quicker. Sounds silly, but it works to be more fractionally focused.

 

I am starting to write another book. The last one was a little over 300 pages in length measuring about 180,000 words in total. It took nearly a year to write, edit, and publish. To give you a bit of perspective, book is much today’s devotional is about 700 words and has taken me about an hour to write. A book is a much bigger task! However, if I think in terms of finishing one step in the process, it goes much easier and faster! Whatever you’re facing, trust God to give you the strength to take each step necessary to finish and step into it with confidence and faith!