Like the seasons of the year, life changes frequently and drastically. You enjoy it or endure it as it comes and goes, as it ebbs and flows.
I’ll just take amusement at being a paradox.
Burgess Meredith (1907-1997) was an American actor and filmmaker. His career encompassed more than 60 years with many noteworthy performances in film, theater, and television.
Meeting darkness once again
Searching for morning escape
Knowing sunrise overcomes
Patience, changing day’s landscape
Deflecting morning worries
Finding peace in clearest sky
Touching early hour’s stillness
Patience, never say goodbye
Wanting calmness, come forward
Filling positive mindset
Nurturing new attitudes
Patience, powers life’s reset
Stirring kindness from within
Enduring love for others
Overflowing into hearts
Patience, shared with another
Sailing serenity’s seas
Reaching for each shooting star
Focusing on tomorrow
Patience, lowers each crossbar
When the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, Jesus Christ is easily first.
From 2 Peter 1:5-7: “For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with excellence, and excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love.”
Oswald Chambers (1874-1917) was a Scottish evangelist and Christian teacher. Following his death from an illness while in Egypt during World War I, his wife took on the task of transcribing the detailed notes she had written from his lectures and sermons. Gertrude Hobbs Chambers’ efforts resulted in the publication in 1924 of MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST. I frequently read from this devotional, and it has greatly deepened my faith and understanding of God’s Word.
From Romans 5:3-4: “And not only that, but we also boast in our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.”
Relationship challenges
Sin attempts to break apart
Holy Spirit never rests
Love’s flame nurtures pair of hearts
Faithful steps follow Jesus
Light sharing grace every day
Together, praying as one
Love fills tomorrow’s gateway
Father extends helping hand
Darkness replaced with sunrise
Endurance sustains journey
Love eclipses gloomy skies
Marriage healing and growing
Faith’s commitment now restored
Mercy’s lasting promises
Love’s hymn, vows renewing chords
From Romans 5:5: “And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.”
Press forward. Do not stop, do not linger in your journey, but strive for the mark set before you.
From Philippians 3:13-14: “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider that I have laid hold of it, but one thing I have laid hold of: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal, toward the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.”
George Whitefield (1714-1770) was an English-born pastor and Christian evangelist. He spent the second half of his life in the American colonies.
The next time you’re disappointed, don’t panic and don’t give up. Just be patient and let God remind you He’s still in control.
From Luke 8:15: “But as for that in the good soil, these are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart and bear fruit with endurance.“
We do not always feel joyful, but we are always to count it joy.
From James 1:2-3: “My brothers and sisters, whenever you face various trials, consider it all joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.”
A. B. (Albert Benjamin) Simpson (1843-1919) was a Canadian-born pastor, theologian, and Christian author. He founded the Christian and Missionary Alliance.
Go as far as you can see; when you get there, you’ll be able to see further.
Endurance is patience concentrated.
Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) was a Scottish historian and philosopher. His prolific writings earned him the title of “the undoubted head of English letters” in the 19th century.
From James 5:11: “Indeed we call blessed those who showed endurance. You have heard of the endurance of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.
Totally unexpected, overwhelming
Lingering cracks appearing along life’s road
Tripping, stumbling, and finally crashing down
Shattering confidence, from life’s heavy load
Floundering, drowning . . . caught in river’s rapids
Endlessly swimming, lost at pool’s deepest end
Feet never finding firm ground, dour fear arrives
Replacing life’s daylight with night at each bend
Life’s turbulence teaches us lasting patience
With the Lord, with ourselves, and with life’s curve balls
Fumbling life’s slippery game ball once again
God’s love sends patience after every fall
Endurance of Job, life’s journey shall require
Living with patience, frees us from each briar
From Galatians 5:22-25: “By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.”
From Psalm 23:4: “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff–they comfort me.”
Being careful with life’s missteps
Sinful disobedience waits
God’s Word touches our inner soul
Hell pleasing, never be our fate
Our truest, most faithful support
Shall always arrive from His love
God’s Word will endure forever
His Spirit reigns from high above
When life’s dark trials boil over
Creating quagmires of distress
God’s Word quells each predicament
His next move leads like playing chess
Our life’s journey travels by faith
Transformed by Christ’s merciful heart
God’s Word reaches out, filled with hope
Bringing a new day, let’s restart
From 2 Corinthians 5:7: “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
Big Sky Buckeye 