When contemplating the vastness of God's love, it becomes apparent that it is beyond human comprehension. However, we can understand some of His attributes as humans created in God's image (Genesis 1:27). Features such as benevolence, which is God’s goodwill for humanity; grace, which is unmerited favor towards people; mercy, which is tenderhearted toward the needy; and persistence that offers long-suffering or endurance to get us through life’s challenges (John 4:8). While many are familiar with the first three aspects of God's love, few recognize the importance of endurance within being persistent in expressing His love where Christian Character Counts.
In the environment of God's love, endurance is the ability to withstand hardship and adversity or sustain a prolonged stressful effort. It is the patience and perseverance displayed in challenging situations where life can be discouraging or extreme. We witness this extraordinary endurance and persistence in Jesus as he faces immense challenges in the Garden of Gethsemane moments before his arrest. In Matthew 26:36-46, Jesus commands his disciples to "Watch and Pray" to avoid temptation (verse 41). This act of endurance is a critical part of Jesus' love. It is not about preventing discouragement but facing it head-on and seeking relief in the Father’s love. Jesus exemplifies this endurance by praying to God, seeking strength and guidance for the painful and suffering moments ahead.
Endurance also plays a crucial role in avoiding the pitfalls of extremism. In the same passage, we see Peter reacting impulsively by drawing his sword and cutting off the ear of a servant of the high priest. Jesus, on the other hand, displays immense composure and mercy. He heals the injured soldier and teaches us the importance of responding with benevolence, grace, mercy, and persistence instead of resorting to violence and taking an extreme position of resentment, anger, and vengeance (Matthew 26:51-56).
By emulating Jesus' endurance and persistence within the boundaries of God's love, we can solve the problems of discouragement and extremism. When faced with these challenges, we can seek reassurance in God’s love by embracing the principle of observation. Observation is the wisdom of watching that involves being present, conveying the goodness of God, and perceiving reality correctly in our lives, no matter the circumstance, situation, or relationship. On the other side of watching is prayer. Prayer is speaking or communicating to God and others in Jesus' style (I encourage all to read Jesus’ prayers in the Gospels.) Through watchfulness and prayer, we can grow in faith and become more like Jesus, filled with grace and truth even through the most challenging times.
Jesus' endurance and persistence in the face of immense challenges serve as a powerful reminder of the boundless love of God. It teaches us that endurance within God's love can help us overcome any situation. I encourage you to follow Jesus' example, embracing endurance within the boundaries of God's reality and finding the resolve to face challenges to navigate life in painful and hard times where Christian Character Counts.
With a watchful and praying heart,