There has been a lot written about staying the course. Very Definitely in the military; even more in the projections in the business & financial communities. Even within the Christian community we are called to stay the course, to persevere, to overcome trials, persecutions, and rejections.
But this is easier said than done. I know Christians in this world who go through unspeakable persecution, loss of hope, and depths of despair; some even loss of family and life.
So what about you, or me? Have we experienced persecution? Have we felt the pain of rejection from our community, our family…, our church? There is so much rejection and separation in our world, and in our Christian communities, that there are few of us who have not experienced some form of isolation from those who surround us.
Keep in mind the admonition of the apostle Paul to his young mentee, Timothy— Suffer hardship with us, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. [2 Timothy 2:3] How will we suffer hardship? Where will it come from?
FROM ANYWHERE! EVERYWHERE!
Still, we are admonished throughout Scripture, through the Old Testament and the New, that we are different than the world in which we live. I like the t-shirt from THE CHOSEN docuseries—
Get used to different.
Many disciples before us have suffered persecutions unimaginable just because they are different. Christians in the West have known little of what those before us, and around this world today, have been subjected to.
To stay the course, in our era we would do well to heed the words of Paul—
Therefore I endure
for the sake of the elect,
that they too may obtain the salvation
that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
Here is a trustworthy saying:
If we died with Him,
we will also live with Him.
So, how are you doing? Staying the course? Or, are you too easily going off the mark?
Gary
NEXT–Course correction guide.