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Long road is often more rewarding
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Published: November 21, 2008
What makes a runner a champion? What keeps them going hour after hour, mile after mile?
Endurance. The sheer will to keep going, no matter what the circumstances, and see things through to the end.
In many facets of our life, we often have a choice of taking the easy way out — the shortcut, or taking the longer, often more difficult path. Whether it's to reach a career goal, afford a large purchase or even decide the fate of your relationship, we often find ourselves at a crossroads. We can choose to give up or we can choose to endure.
Obviously the choice to endure — particularly in tough times — is always the difficult one. Why would someone choose to go through a great number of tribulations when they could take shortcuts, avoid difficulties and cheat their way to success?
The simple truth of the matter is that the more hardships we endure, whether by our own choice or not, the stronger we become. The Bible states this in the book of James, "Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." But it is often this simple truth that is hard to understand or that we choose not to recognize.
Who do you think has the greater appreciation for a new car on their 16th birthday? The teenager whose parents just gave it to them or the teenager who endured long hours working at their job and was able to purchase it in their own name?
Of course there will always be teenagers who appreciate gifts. They wouldn't be teenagers if they didn't. But in most cases, in the end, those teenagers who endured work and earned their own money learned to appreciate the value of things more.
Such is the case with immediate gratification. Those that suffer from this society-influenced affliction who want everything right now. They see something that others have and they must have it, no matter what means they must use to get it.
Others can still want something just as much, but be willing to wait patiently for it to come their way. Romans 8:25 says, "But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."
The greatest test of one's endurance, however, comes when times are tough. It is easy to endure a business trip when it's in a tropical paradise or a boring job when the money and perks are off the charts.
The real work comes into play when not only your endurance is being tested, but also your faith, your courage and your strength. When you are faced with challenges like illness, unhealthy relationships, financial hardship, family losses, etc., is when it takes the most resolve to choose to endure.
These are opportunities for us to not only prove our faith in God but to develop stronger character within ourselves. James 1:3 says, "For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow," and continues in James 1:4, "So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything."
When you practice endurance, you gain self control. You learn to surrender, be grateful for everything that comes into your life — both good and bad, and accept everything as an opportunity to learn and grow.
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