Endurance

Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Ecclesiastes 7:8

For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.
Hebrews 10:36

Endurance is part of character building and an important part of Christian living. God endured His own people for years even though they refused His words and guidance. They were a stubborn lot and even rebelled against God, but God remained patient and gave them a second chance. God was slow to anger, was full of mercy and patience because He wanted His people to be reconciled to Him.

The Christian faith is about endurance. When we are in a situation which is unfavourable and things do not happen to go our way, we are encouraged to put our trust in God and pray that His will be done in us. We therefore practise endurance in our everyday life for those who endure are patient and will not be easily enraged. Often, relationship is destroyed because of anger and everything that started well will be destroyed in split second because of one’s angry emotion. That is why the Bible says, “Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.”

To endure, we need to have self control. Before we can win over others through endurance, we first need to defeat our lowly self.