Do you have what it takes?

Are you a person of endurance?  What does it take to endure? 

Endurance brings an image to mind of winning and shining!  I think of the exhilarating feeling, a high sense of finishing a race & the heightened feeling of accomplishment.   

Side note to what I'm talking about here.  Can I tell you that I am smiling over the fact that my husband told me that he is memorizing 1 Corinthians 13 (known as the love chapter).  It is quite endearing to me to sit with the Bible on my lap, listening to my husband recite the scrippys to me, that is never-changing about love.  As I listen to him speak, I cannot seem to get past this scrippy: 

Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.  1 Corinthians 13:6 NLT

The word endure has been jumping out at me for the last week.  

Endurance, to me, is that of the triathlete - someone who has given up many hours to train, given up sleep & relationships (temporarily) to accomplish the goal - to finish the race they have committed to do. We applaud those who have so disciplined/conditioned themselves to accomplish such a goal. 

While thinking on the training of the triathlete, I got an eye-opening thought of a far greater illustration of endurance.

For the joy that was set before Him (Jesus) endured the cross.           Hebrews 12:2 NKJV

This is the ultimate show of endurance.  Because of His great love for us, He endured the suffering of the cross.  It was all for us so that we could regain our rightful relationship with Him.  Talk about endurance!    

While I am slightly jealous (for lack of my own self-disciple) of the endurance of the triathlete,  I will say, I am far more intrigued and wowed by the self-sacrifice of Jesus, for the sake of others.   ENDURANCE perfected. 

At your wits end?

Psalm 107 could seem quite gloomy with such phrases likes 'they wandered in the wilderness,' 'they sat in darkness,' 'they reeled to and fro,' but don't be disheartened, there is something more wonderful here!

They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end. Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distresses.  He calms the storm, so that its waves are still. Then they are glad because they are quiet; so He guides them to their desired haven.  Psalm 107:27-30 NKJV

I love when I find phrases in the Bible I've heard others say, but didn't know where they originated.  Do you wonder where people get these phrases too?  

I was quite excited to stumble across the phrase 'at their wits end.'   Not sure if you know this, but nothing is new under the sun, and this truth is right there for the grabbings, to understand what to do in this particular situation. God never left us to work it out alone.  He provided the guide, His word, for us.  

Today, are you at your wits end?  Are you frustrated and uncertain as to what the next step is for your life?  A person in this condition (at their wits end) should not be surprised that they are in a position that almost renders them useless to progress forward. 

Do you see what the psalm says?  They are at the end of the line, they have had enough and have nowhere else to go.  THEN....almost like it dawned on them and they thought, "I can't do this on my own!  Help God!"  He never moves from His position to be with us, but we are the ones who move away because of our own self-sufficiency.  They (you) cry for help, determined, and He is there in that very moment.  He calms the storm you are experiencing.  He speaks, "quite, and says, "peace!"  And the turmoil comes under His control, not your control, and He brings you to a place of calmness, a place where you can think clear thoughts.

Seek the help of the One who made you and let Him calm the storm of your life.  He wants you to realize you cannot do it alone.