“You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.” (Revelation 2:3, NIV)
Bogey, bogey, bogey. When these less-than-ideal holes just keep mounting, it doesn’t take long for frustration to set in. Add a double or a triple in the mix and suddenly we’re headed toward one of two common responses. The first of these responses we discussed last week: a loss of self-control. The second possible response is to quit. If you feel you owe this round to your friends, you may not walk off the course, but you also stop trying, wanting all the while to throw your clubs in your car and get as far away from the golf course as you can.
Jesus has done the overcoming, so we take heart in his strength.If you’re a casual player, or even a more serious amateur, it’s probably no great concern that persevering is sometimes the exact opposite of what you want to do on the golf course. There’s even more truth to this if you are a follower of Christ who has reduced golf to one of the lesser priorities in your life. Who needs the frustration? There are so many other good things we can be doing.
But if you’re quick to quit in one arena of your life, this may indicate a failing in other endeavors, too. And that is a concern. Because life doesn’t give us enough room to wiggle out of every uncomfortable pursuit. You will either have to accept and push through hard tasks or you will choose to live a life where you never take up a challenge of any kind—that is, quitting before you start.
In Revelation, we find seven letters from Christ to local churches. In every letter, we find a commendation or a call to perseverance, faithfulness, or overcoming. More than this, those who overcome are promised rewards in Christ’s eternal kingdom.
When he was among his disciples, Jesus told them, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). This may be a familiar passage to you. Many believers have taken courage from it during the tough times of their lives. A mistake some make, however, is to say to themselves, “If Jesus did it, I can do it,” or “If Jesus did it, I must do it.” What they are asking themselves is, “Can my toughness match Jesus’?” Rather, the “make every effort” approach in this case is to take heart. Jesus has done the overcoming, so we take heart in his strength. We don’t muster up our own great might, but instead go back to our faith, securing and advancing the belief that God will supply us every great trait we need—right to the end.
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Jeff Hopper
February 16, 2018
Copyright 2018 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.
OTHER DEVOTIONS IN THE EIGHT GREAT TRAITS SERIES
Eight Great Traits 1: Faith
Eight Great Traits 2: Goodness
Eight Great Traits 3: Knowledge
Eight Great Traits 4: Self-Control
Eight Great Traits 6: Godliness
Eight Great Traits 7: Kindness
Eight Great Traits 8: Love