What do you need to patiently endure?

Life is full of challenges, physical, mental, spiritual, emotional, and intellectual. At times we will face one or the other, or a combination of them. It feel overwhelming or mildly stressful. Challenges come in all shapes and sizes, big and small.

The question is not whether or not we will face challenges in life. The question really is how will we handle them when they come.

Recently, in my morning devotions while reading the book of Revelation, a two word phrase jumped up off the page, “patient endurance.” What I appreciate about the phrase is the qualifying word that indicates how to endure. Endure patiently. Endurance is one thing, to do so with patience is another thing entirely. We can endure with lots of anxiety and restlessness, but it will make the experience we are enduring much more difficult. As.I see it, enduring a challenge with patience is about doing so with faith and self-confidence, that regardless of the challenge we not only have the ability to move through it, we recognize that the Lord is with us in the challenge we are facing and strengthening us to endure and eventually overcome.

So today, what do you need to patiently endure?

Whatever it is, I hope that these words from St. Theresa of Avila are an encouragement to you today:

Let nothing disturb you,

Nothing frighten you.

All things are passing.

God never changes.

Patient endurance attains all things.

Whoever possesses God lacks nothing,

God alone is sufficient.

Remember, I'm pulling for you. We're in this together.