“Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops.”
2 Timothy 1:3-6
“Two things can sum up the analogies given in these verses: sweat and endurance.”
As the pastor I was listening to today spoke those words, I thought, Wow, that really sums up my week. Sweat and endurance.
Some weeks are more brutal than others. Last week it seemed I was juggling so many things: work, family birthdays, out-of-town relatives — all while fighting a virus. But the most difficult part of the week was the deadline I was trying to meet for a huge project I am working on – the manuscript of a book.
Paul’s letters just flow with metaphors that help bring vivid images to our minds. These verses in Timothy provide such perfect examples of hard workers in their particular missions. A soldier whose sole focus is to please his superior. An athlete who obeys every guideline and rule to force his body to compete at its absolute best. A farmer whose early mornings, long days, and calloused hands finally produce fruits of his labor. None of these workers achieve their goals without steadfast commitment to the task at hand. They all fight through the sweat of hard work and the pain of endurance.
So we can’t be afraid to get our hands dirty, to push ourselves to new limits, to struggle and fight. We are all “good soldiers of Christ Jesus.” We are all called to please our Master with sincere efforts.
Maybe next week will bring some peace and rest. Maybe next week will bring a longer blog post! But for now, I pray for endurance through the blood, sweat, and tears of writing. And I pray that whatever tough task God has called you to, you will find the motivation to push through and give it your all, for the glory of the Father.
God, thank you for the difficult tasks you call us to. We know you provide what we need to fulfill our duties. Help us to be willing to work hard and endure, for Your sake.
I’m looking forward to reading a whole book written by you! Strength and peace to you! Keep being awesome!