Sustained - Preparing for Spiritually Prolonged (part 1)
Introduction. In a recent series of articles, we examined how Christians need to carefully prepare for sudden, unexpected spiritual challenges just like many people carefully prepare for unexpected physical challenges (e.g., car insurance for wreaks, health coverage for sudden sickness, having a fire extinguisher and first aid kit at home).
In this series, we will switch perspectives and look at challenges that are not sudden, but prolonged. As we will see shortly, many challenges can happen slowly over time in our physical lives. As a result, there is much encouragement to “be persistent” and “keep on keeping on”. The same could be said about prolonged challenges in our spiritual lives as well. What kinds of parallels about such challenges in our physical and spiritual lives can we draw to learn valuable lessons about our Christian living?
Sustained Physical Challenges. An innumerable list of things can slowly go wrong around us, sometimes in ways that are subtle and don’t get our immediate attention. Here is a brief list:
Alternatively, there are a number of physical challenges that require persistent effort in order to be successful. For example:
Much Wisdom Behind Various Encouraging Phrases. Because of these challenges, you will encounter many different sayings meant to encourage attention to such situations:
In fact, our vocabulary is filled with synonyms on the need to have “persistence”, “tenacity”, “grit”, “determination”, “resolve”, “staying power”, “endurance”, “dedication”, “doggedness”, and “stamina”.
How? Depending on the situation, there are many ways to overcome sustain physical challenges. Here are four ways of looking at them.
Many Challenges In Our Spiritual Life Happen Slowly As Well. You might ask “What do you have in mind?” Here are some examples:
Much Wisdom Behind the Phrase “Be Persistent” In the Spiritual World. As with sustained physical challenges, we need to be reminded of similar challenges in our spiritual lives. We need to watch out for signs of slow spiritual decay as well as have prolonged endurance over many years, often under trying circumstances.
However, unlike people who can easily see the need for periodic maintenance of their possessions and endurance in competitive sports, the need to be persistent in spiritual things is not necessarily widely recognized, even among those who profess belief in Jesus and the scriptures. Why? Some potential reasons include:
Biblical Examples. As we look through the pages of the Bible, we see many examples of people who were had problems with sustained spiritual challenges and the resulting adverse results. Likewise, we can find people who persevered and the positive outcomes they had. We would be wise to note their examples and incorporate this knowledge into our lives. In part 2 of our study, we’ll examine both kinds of examples and see what we can learn.
In this series, we will switch perspectives and look at challenges that are not sudden, but prolonged. As we will see shortly, many challenges can happen slowly over time in our physical lives. As a result, there is much encouragement to “be persistent” and “keep on keeping on”. The same could be said about prolonged challenges in our spiritual lives as well. What kinds of parallels about such challenges in our physical and spiritual lives can we draw to learn valuable lessons about our Christian living?
Sustained Physical Challenges. An innumerable list of things can slowly go wrong around us, sometimes in ways that are subtle and don’t get our immediate attention. Here is a brief list:
- Maintenance issues (like slow decay of our clothes, homes, landscaping, cars, streets)
- Environment issues (like slowly increasing urban congestion, air/water pollution)
- Financial issues (like slowly increasing credit card debt, price inflation)
- Health issues (like a sedentary lifestyle leading to loss of muscle tone and slow weight gain, gradually worsening heart problems, slow growing cancer, infirmities of aging)
Alternatively, there are a number of physical challenges that require persistent effort in order to be successful. For example:
- Professional careers (like the lengthy education and training to become a doctor, lawyer, engineer, soldier)
- Professional sports athlete or Olympic competitors
- Endurance sports (like competitive cycling, swimming, running)
Much Wisdom Behind Various Encouraging Phrases. Because of these challenges, you will encounter many different sayings meant to encourage attention to such situations:
- “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”
- “A penny saved is a penny earned.”
- “Use it or lose it.”
- “Never give up.”
- “Winners never quit and quitters never win.” – Vince Lombardi
- “Keep on keeping on.”
In fact, our vocabulary is filled with synonyms on the need to have “persistence”, “tenacity”, “grit”, “determination”, “resolve”, “staying power”, “endurance”, “dedication”, “doggedness”, and “stamina”.
How? Depending on the situation, there are many ways to overcome sustain physical challenges. Here are four ways of looking at them.
- Think ahead
- Realizing when a long-term commitment is needed (marathon, not a sprint)
- Putting reminders on the calendar
- Seeking motivating factors that can sustain you over the long haul
- Get trained
- To recognize early signs of decay
- Study examples of successful people
- Study tips, techniques to increase physical/sports endurance
- Practice
- Building good habits (brushing teeth, taking a walk, etc.)
- Periodic maintenance, health checkups
- Pay attention
- Be mindful and watchful for signs of decay, fatigue, etc.
Many Challenges In Our Spiritual Life Happen Slowly As Well. You might ask “What do you have in mind?” Here are some examples:
- Slow exposure to temptation
- Gradual cultural shifts in dress, language, behavior, attitudes toward authority
- Growing weary in doing good
- Attendance
- Bible study, prayer
- Doing good
- In the face of steady persecution, lack of family support/encouragement
- Taking things for granted
- God’s physical and spiritual blessings, constitutional religious freedoms
- Taking people for granted, like spouse, fellow Christians, religious leaders
Much Wisdom Behind the Phrase “Be Persistent” In the Spiritual World. As with sustained physical challenges, we need to be reminded of similar challenges in our spiritual lives. We need to watch out for signs of slow spiritual decay as well as have prolonged endurance over many years, often under trying circumstances.
However, unlike people who can easily see the need for periodic maintenance of their possessions and endurance in competitive sports, the need to be persistent in spiritual things is not necessarily widely recognized, even among those who profess belief in Jesus and the scriptures. Why? Some potential reasons include:
- Casual/worldly attitudes - “It isn’t that important.”
- Lack of accountability - "Based on ‘Once Saved, Always Saved’, all my future sins have been forgiven, so I don’t need to worry about being persistent.”
- Over-confidence - “I can handle it.”
Biblical Examples. As we look through the pages of the Bible, we see many examples of people who were had problems with sustained spiritual challenges and the resulting adverse results. Likewise, we can find people who persevered and the positive outcomes they had. We would be wise to note their examples and incorporate this knowledge into our lives. In part 2 of our study, we’ll examine both kinds of examples and see what we can learn.