Patient Endurance As The Will of God

Patient Endurance As The Will of God

The Jewish believers were going through severe persecution. In the context of that, the writer wrote this.

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

The will of God in this context points to 'endurance'. They would have done the will of God by 𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 to the very end (Heb 10:39).

The Bible consistently talks about patient endurance during trials and persecution. The whole book of Revelation builds it's central theme around it ---- patient endurance.

It is the will of God for believers to suffer for doing good (1 Peter 3:17). Peter wrote the book during the times of persecution too.

Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐝. - 2 Tim 3:12

The early church was consistently persecuted. Yet they remained steadfast, robust and persistent in their faith. 

Today, in our modern consumerist society, if you simply prohibit someone from going to the malls, he or she might just compromise on the faith. When convenience and comfort become the way of life, faith takes the backseat and becomes A way of life. It becomes an option.

Perhaps we need to experience a good degree of persecution before we appreciate His grace seriously.

Therefore let those who 𝐬𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐆𝐨𝐝'𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. - 1 Peter 4:19

There is a suffering according to God's will and there is a suffering NOT according to His will. If you suffer for what Christ dealt with on the Cross, you are NOT suffering according to His will.

Because we live in this comfortable side of the world where we don't experience biblical persecution (aka suffering according to God's will), we begin to classify our 'suffering' (not persecution) according to His will, when it is not.

We begin to teach that sickness is suffering according to God's will.

We begin to teach that depression is suffering according to God's will.

We begin to teach that lack is suffering according to God's will.

We begin to teach every challenge as suffering according to God's will because we don't get to experience true persecution.

There is only one suffering that is according to God's will... that is... to suffer for doing good. And this is persecution.

The rest are not and they are just suffering according to the world's will. People don't like to hear this, especially believers, because it kills the religious cows and makes their suffering seem unworthy.

I'm not minimising the 'suffering' that people go through. It's tough. It's hard. It's beyond comprehension. We need God's grace and power on that. But neither should we attribute it to God's will. It is not.

Let's not exalt what the enemy does as God's will and gives praises to the wrong side. If my son exalts and praises me for hurting him physically, emotionally or mentally, it would totally break my heart.

You don't endure what is not God. You don't tolerate it. The only thing we need patient endurance is when we suffer persecution.