In Part 1 last week we talked about the need for Grit and the first quality of a laborer with grit, Godliness.
Hebrews 12:1-3 continues,
“let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
Hebrews 12:1
The word for perseverance is the word for patience. It means constant and steadfast.
One definition says, “Someone not swerved from the faith by even the greatest trials or sufferings.”
The second quality of labor with grit is they are resilient, they’re resilient.
2. RESILIENT
You can’t be a laborer without resilience.
I did the math on how many times I had to share the gospel before I saw someone profess faith in Christ. On average, it happened about 8% of the time. That means for every 100 times I give an opportunity to respond to the gospel I hear “No” 92 times. That doesn’t include the “No’s” it took to actually set up a time to meet with this student.
That’s a lot of No’s.
A laborer has to be resilient through rejection.
It can feel like a battle.
The word “race” is used for the assembly where the athletic contests and fights took place.
Are you ready for the race marked out for you?
How will you respond to the inevitable rejection, trials and difficulties that come in life and ministry?
The Christian life is full of hardships. To run your race you need 3 gritty responses and attitudes in the face of hardship:
1) EXPECT IT
1 Peter 4:12-13 says,
“do not be surprised at the fiery trial that comes upon you to test you as though something strange rapidly to you. But rejoice in so far as you share in Christ’s sufferings that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.”
1 Peter 4:12-13
The first thing you have to do with trials and hardships is know they’re coming.
Adoniram Judson was a laborer who expected hardships. He wanted to get engaged and married before he went overseas. So he had to ask his eventual wife’s father for permission to marry her. Read how Adoniram asked for the Father’s blessing,
"I have now to ask whether you can consent to part with your daughter early next spring. To see her no more in this world, whether you can consent to her departure and her subjection to the hardships and sufferings of a missionary life, whether you can consent to her exposure to the dangers of the ocean, to the fatal influence of the southern climate of India, to every kind of want and distress, to degradation, insult, persecution, and perhaps a violent death. Can you consent to all this for the sake of him who left his heavenly home and died for her and for you and for the sake of the perishing immortal souls in the glory of God? Can you consent to all this in hope of soon meeting your daughter in the world of glory with the crown of righteousness brightened with the acclamations of praise, which shall resound to her Savior from the heathens saved through her means from internal woe and despair."
Single guys…Keep that proposal in your back pocket when the time comes!!
He knew what was coming…and he was ready.
2) Embrace it
James 1:2-4 says,
“Consider it all joy, my brothers whenever you face trials of many kinds, because then you know that the testing your of your faith develops perseverance, and perseverance must finish its work so you may, you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
James 1:2-4
If you’re going to be resilient you can’t just expect hardship, but you must embrace it.
This might be tough for the “glass half full,” optimistic people to hear. It’s counterintuitive to you.
We’re not talking about embracing suffering because it’s fun. You embrace it because God is doing a work in you to make you mature and complete.
I’ve had seasons in full-time ministry of terrible rejection. I’ve felt lonely on a campus entirely by myself for years at a time. In those times I wrestled with major insecurities: “Am I good at this?” “Is this my fault?” “Is God using me?”
I thought about quitting multiple times. I considered leaving and going to another campus.
By God’s grace some men in my life spoke some truth into my circumstances. They pointed out God’s hand in the situation. Through their counsel and recognizing the growth God was bringing in my life I adopted a phrase:
“Never quit because it’s hard.”
God might call you to a different location or profession and there may come a time to transition for greater effectiveness. But never quit just because it’s hard.
It’s always hard! That’s why it’s called “laboring.”
Embrace the hardships because God is doing something in you.
God humbled me through that season. He built a deeper dependence on him than I had before. He made me more “mature and complete” and lacking in fewer things than I was at the time.
Don’t bail out!
You can embrace those seasons for the maturity God is bringing in you.
Which leads to the last point…
3) Endure it
2 Timothy 4:5, Paul tells Timothy
“as for you, always be sober-minded endure suffering, do the work of evangelism fulfill your ministry. This is part of it is enduring suffering, just like Jesus endured the cross, He endured opposition from sinners.’
2 Timothy 4:5
Paul Tripp says you are always either coming out of the season of suffering, in a season of suffering, or about to go through a season of suffering.
What season are you in right now??
Some of you might be going through, incredibly hard times right now:
- Maybe students are dropping out of your ministry
- You’ve experienced slander — It hurts when people that you’ve poured your heart and your soul into turn and talk bad about you and your ministry.
- Maybe you’re having difficulties at home,
- It could be that it feels like God is not answering your prayers for your kids, the way that you would hope and expect.
Enduring hardship does NOT mean you just suck it up and ignore what’s going on in your life.
But enduring it DOES mean you deal with it–you process it in a healthy way. You don’t allow it to paralyze you.
When I was going through that season in my ministry, I remember one phone call with the man who disciples me where I cried and cried because of the pain and emotion it was causing. I had to deal with those emotions. I met with my pastor almost every single week. I called him all the time to process through it and talk about how to transition through it well. There is no question in my mind I wouldn’t be on staff without those men and my church.
Enduring means you deal it.
You use the means God provides – fellowship, encouragement, and the body of Christ.
I know a lot of you are going through very difficult, painful seasons right now.
There may be days when you feel like you cannot go one more day. Or seasons when it feels like you only get bad news. It could be that anxiety creeps up constantly.
I don’t know how God is going to provide for you in the midst of trials and hardships, but He will.
He will.
God is with you. He will provide for you. He is producing maturity and completeness for those who persevere.
Put it into Practice:
Grit killer #2 — Safety.
There is a temptation to want to avoid suffering at all costs. That’s devastating for a laborer.
If you ever get into a place where you are unwilling to take risks – you’re in danger.
There are all kinds of ways you can play it safe (BIG AND SMALL):
- Do you avoid initiating with that one particular group In the cafeteria or at the gym?
- Do you avoid making that phone call you know you must make?
- Do you not go after leaders on campus?
- Are you unwilling to let God direct your next step?
One subtle way I played it safe was with the language I used. There was a period of time when I kept saying, “Hey, you know, this campus is just hard. It’s a hard campus. It’s hard soil.”
I finally realized I was using that as a way to protect myself.
If things weren’t going well, it wasn’t my fault. It wasn’t my effort. It was just…because…you know…it’s hard! I created a built-in excuse. It was this blanket of protection around me. I was playing it safe.
Think about how defeating that language is: “Hard soil.”
Hard? Hard for who?
Certainly not God.
Using that language gave me an excuse to stop being bold. I stopped taking risks because, “It’s hard. That doesn’t work here.” I stopped praying faith-stretching prayers.
I had to adjust one day. I told our staff, “We are NOT going to use that language anymore.” We’re not going to play it safe.
How about you?
Do you see signs of resiliency in you?
Reflection Questions:
How do you respond to seasons of hardship? What’s your overall attitude toward suffering?
Are you willing to take risks? Or have you been playing it safe?
Ask God to give you a spirit of perseverance and resilience!
