“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”       James 1:2,3 NIV

Nobody wakes up on the morning of the Comrades Marathon and suddenly decides, “I think I’ll run the race today!” Long-distance running requires training, a LOT of training. The typical marathon runner spends months preparing for a race. They pull themselves out of bed every day and get on with their preparation. Focusing on their goal, they push through physical and mental exhaustion. They watch their diet, get plenty of sleep, and run every single day. The goal of all this training is to build endurance. The discipline isn’t easy, but it’s essential to running a marathon. God’s Word often depicts the Christian life as a race. If this is true, then we can be sure endurance is critical to our success. What builds endurance in our spiritual lives? Take note of today’s verses. Endurance is an inner strength that enables us to face any difficulty without quitting. The runner needs endurance to finish the race. They condition their body for success, even though it hurts. As believers, we’re called to do the exact same thing. Our “training” comes through trials. As we face different challenges, the Holy Spirit builds us up more and more. This is God’s “training camp.” If we’re facing a hardship today, we need to ask ourselves this question: Are we willing to go through this intense workout today in order to win the race tomorrow?

PRAYER THOUGHT

Lord, may our endurance produce in us stronger faith.

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, as we endure hardships, may it produce in us a stronger faith in You, to the glory and honour of Your name. AMEN

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)

Matthew 11:1-19

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