Let’s talk about endurance.
You might not know this, but God’s will for your life and mine is that we would be endurance athletes. The Verse of the Day when I opened up my Bible app earlier this morning confirmed it:
“God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12 NLT, emphasis mine)
That word for endurance is used numerous times in the New Testament to remind us that endurance is a big part of our journey with Jesus. In fact, I’d go so far as to describe our faith as an endurance sport.
[Tweet “Our faith as an endurance sport.”]There are a few things that are critical for endurance runners. The obvious ones are a whole lot of training before the event and a reason for doing the event. Hebrews 12:2 tells us that even Jesus had a goal that allowed Him to endure the cross!
But there’s a critical ingredient for endurance that I’m often guilty of overlooking: the fuel. In a marathon, there are refueling stations along the route with water, sports drinks, and gels. I ran in a marathon once that offered gummy bears! The point is that we’ve got to replace the fuel that we’re burning or else we’ll never make it to the end.
A big part of enduring is fueling our bodies, and it’s the same when we talk about endurance in our faith. We’ve got to fuel our faith to endure the trials, temptations, and troubles that every race — especially the race of faith — inevitably brings.
As followers of Jesus, we know that we’ve received the power of the Holy Spirit and His power is the best fuel, but like any fire, it burns hot or burns out depending on what we feed it.
[Tweet “Whether a fire burns hot or burns out depends on what we feed it.”]Guess what happens when I allow myself to eat tons of junk food and lots of processed sugars? Yep, my endurance is the first thing to go. I find myself struggling to complete runs that are 10 times shorter than ultra-marathons that I’ve done. When we feed our souls junk and allow toxic thoughts to have their way in our minds, we can find our souls exhausted and lacking what they need to endure.
What are good sources of fuel for the believer who wants to endure? Anything that fans the flame of the Spirit in your soul! A walk in the woods with your favorite worship songs playing through your headphones. A cup of hot coffee on the porch with the Word of God in your lap. A conversation with a friend who reminds you that the thoughts you’re thinking don’t line up with who God says you are.
If you’re feeling less like an endurance athlete and more like a couch potato, the answer may not be trying harder to do things better. The answer may have a lot more to do with what you’re fueling your soul with before you do anything at all.
