No Pain No Gain
Romans 15:4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. (NRSV)
When you’re going tough times, it’s very easy to lose sight of what God is up to. Truly, it is. But, when you are going through tough times, know this … God is up to something good, something very good!
If there’s one thing that I truly hate in life, it would have to be running. Back in my military days, we did rather a lot of it and I’m here to tell you that it’s something that my body just isn’t built for. I still remember the pain in my legs, the gasping for air, the feeling that my lungs were going to explode.
On the other hand, give me a heavy pack and a machine gun and I’ll walk for days over hill and dale while some of those runners (gazelles, I used to call them) will drop.
It comes down to endurance and I guess we’re all different in how we develop it … but as our PT instructors (God bless ‘em!!) used to scream at us, no pain, no gain!
Romans 15:4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. (NRSV)
That word there for “steadfastness” literally means endurance. And the PT instructors were right … there’s only one way to build endurance and that’s the hard way, the painful way, the way that has your lungs pretty much set to explode. But as we develop that endurance, that steadfastness, during the tough times and combine it with the encouragement of God’s Word … something truly amazing happens.
The Lord our God births a hope in our hearts that never leaves us – a hope that never disappoints.
… so that by steadfastness (endurance) and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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