By Samantha Smith, 8th Episcopal District
Endure – to remain in existence; to last. It is a word often associated with suffering, with bearing something painful patiently and without surrender.
Faith that endures is not faith that gets easier with time. In many ways, it becomes more demanding. Scripture tells us that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. That means faith requires us to believe in the best of what we hope for, even when there is no visible proof standing before us.
Life gives us countless opportunities to lose faith.
Through personal failure. Through betrayal and neglect. Through abuse, misfortune, loss, sickness, and the weight of the world’s political and social realities.
These are not interruptions to the journey. They are part of it. And through it all, we are in co-collaboration with God our Father. Whether we are walking in His perfect will or His permissive will, we are always within His plan.
Every single day, minute by minute, we face a choice: Will I have faith, or will I not?
Sometimes our faith is tested not by circumstances, but by proximity. Being connected to people who lack faith in God, in themselves, or even in you, can quietly erode your own. Lack of faith is contagious. It manifests as fear, envy, jealousy, wrath, gossip, contention – vexations of the spirit that drain hope and distort truth.
To have faith is to believe in the best possible outcome despite the circumstances in front of you, because you know the God you serve desires good for you.
So how do we cultivate enduring faith in a world and culture working relentlessly, often through dark principalities, to pull us out of divine alignment?
We begin here:
We pray.
For strength. For wisdom. For direction. The first fruits of your day belong to the Lord. Your cup must be restored daily.
We establish holy boundaries.
Some people belonged to previous seasons and are not meant for today’s. Some new people may be wonderful, but they do not require access to your life. And some attachments simply need to end. Plain and simple.
We practice discernment.
Pay attention to what frustrates your spirit. Take inventory of what causes you to lose faith – who, what, where, and why – and submit those things to the Lord.
We trust God’s sovereignty.
In every supplication, remember He knows best.
We believe boldly. He can do exceedingly and abundantly above all we could ask, think, or imagine.
And we stop playing God.
The Lord never promised a life without hardship. Even Jesus endured the weight of His assignment in the Garden of Gethsemane. Yet He modeled submission, placing the burden fully in the Father’s hands.
Enduring faith trusts that no matter what unfolds, God is in control. Enduring faith does not complain about today. It rejoices with hope for what is coming. Enduring faith does not argue with circumstance. It surrenders to God.
And in that surrender, faith does not die. It lasts.
Excellent speech. We do have a tendency to doubt faith; then, something happens that gives us hope and confirmation in God’s word.