The wife of a young married couple, who are separated, told me that she wasn’t sure she had the energy to trust again. All of us encounter personal challenges and battles that require more energy than we feel we have. How can we receive God’s energy and have the stamina to stay engaged and encouraged in our battles?
Here are two biblical ingredients that will contribute to spiritual stamina:
1. Profitable choices — When we’re in the middle of situations that are taxing and disappoint-ing it’s tempting to make choices that we think will make us feel better. Relief can become more important to us than endurance. We do need rest and breaks from our battles, but we must beware of inappropriate or unprofitable habits or relationships that provide temporary pleasures but sap our spiritual strength. They can take away our motivation to persevere and bring distance between us and our Heavenly Father, the one who provides hope, energy and strength to persevere. It never fails that when a husband or wife, who is having difficulty with their spouse, becomes too close with someone else from the opposite sex, pessimism sets in and their stamina to persevere evaporates. (I Corinthians 6:12, 9:24-27, 10:23, Psalm 51:10).
2. Noble thinking — In “His Excellency, George Washington,” biographer Joseph Ellis points out that of the many virtues possessed by the father of our nation, none was as important as his virtue of stamina. George Washington and the depleted Continental Army, a third of whom were shoeless, continued on as they focused on the cause for which they were fighting. The writer of Hebrews tells us that our ability to persevere is strengthened as we think about Christ and what He has done for us (Hebrews 12:1-2).
I often meet single moms with their children, who face the ongoing battle of holding down a job, helping with home work at night, keeping the home clean and comfortable, and dealing with the selfishness of one they have loved and trusted. How do they do it? How do they get their stamina? They receive strength as they focus on their purpose and their God. (II Corinthians 10:5, Romans 5:1-5, James 1:2-4)
I will pray that you and your family will experience increased spiritual stamina as you face your personal challenges and battles. Thank you for your friendship and support for us as we help children and adults find spiritual stamina. You are a real encouragement and help.
Blessings,
Larry
UPDATE:
* Please pray the women in the summer bible studies will experience God in a fresh way and fall deeper in love with Jesus.
*Please pray that internal healing and changes will continue for a husband/father who has returned to his family.
*Please pray for the young married couples who are in the process of building better marriages.
* Please pray that God would grant repentance to those caught in self-centered lives.