Growing up, I used to read the dictionary for fun.
Besides that tome, I read stacks of books each week. I loved learning and I
loved school and I excelled at it. But in my spiritual life, I sometimes feel I
find myself in the remedial class going over lessons again and again. Even
after I think I’ve mastered them, God reveals how much more I have to learn.
One of those lessons is perseverance and at times this year, the challenges
designed to produce it within me have stretched my faith muscles beyond what I
would’ve said I could endure.
Still, I’ve been here many times before. As I run these
spiritual marathons, the Enemy of my soul throws every obstacle at me he can.
Fatigue. Depression. Worry. Discouragement. Conflict. His hurdles may cause me
to stumble as I continue to run the course, and they may even cause me to fall.
But they will not force me to quit. No matter how much instruction I continue
to need in order to persevere, I will listen. I will learn. I will grow. And one
day I will reach the finish line. My prayer is that I then hear the words every
follower of Jesus longs for Him to speak to them: “Well done, good and faithful
servant.” (Matt. 25:23)
