A Culture Of Perserverance

Hello GoChurch family!

There are some key phrases that really stood out for me for this week’s Bible readings from Colossians 4 through to 2 Thessalonians 1.

These phrases are:

“Continue earnestly in prayer … let your speech ALWAYS be with grace.”

Colossians 4:2 & 6

“Take heed to the ministry which you have received that you may FULFILL it.”

Colossians 4:17

“Labouring day and night, no one should be shaken by these afflictions’’.

1 Thessalonians 3:3

“ALWAYS PURSUE what is good for both yourselves and for all.  Rejoice always, pray without ceasing’’

1 Thessalonians 5:15 - 17

Reflecting on these phrases and the heart behind it, the Apostle Paul is praising the believers for their faith, encouraging and instructing them to persevere in holy living.

A CULTURE OF PERSEVERANCE.

When I look at the Bible, it strikes me how much the early church had to endure.  How they so often faced challenge after challenge after challenge and yet they never stopped moving forward in God’s plans for their lives.

This is what I want to highlight in this week’s readings that as Christians, we are in a family that does things in a certain way. A family that has a distinct culture.

The word culture means: the customs and behaviour of a particular people

or society.

Every group of people, every society has a “culture’’.  Whether it be differing ethnic groups, companies, families, sports teams, churches, etc.  Whatever it may be, every group or society has a culture.  They all have a certain way of doing things.

The word perseverance means: to continue doing something despite difficulty or delay.  So, for us, as Christians we are part of a family that does things in a certain way.  We have a distinct culture.  Which means we continue to do what God has told us to do despite any difficulties.

Perseverance keeps going when others have had enough and just quit.

Perseverance won’t allow the mistakes made to distract and procrastinate from following after God.  It just keeps getting back up and moving forward.   It keeps trying again, and again, and again.  That’s the heart that God wants us to have.

You may not be the most talented person.

You may not have been born into a life of privilege and ease.

You may not have had the greatest start in life.

You may not know all the right people but if you don’t quit and just persevere, by God’s amazing grace you’ll get to the destination that God had prepared for you.

Now of course there may be days when you might think you’re not going to make it or I’m not going to be able to finish it, but if you’re aware of the enemy’s subtle lies and deception, you must stand strong in the word and keep speaking it forth as you trust God to give you strength to see the victory.

Many people try to run their race in their own strength but we aren’t meant to do that. Just by ourselves, we can only do so much. When we look to God having our full attention on who he is and what only He can do through us, we can do all things.