Longsuffering . . .

You may wonder will I am posting a blog with this title. It just came to me after reading a friend’s blog. She is struggling right now. She has stepped out on faith to do something that God has called her to do and now she has met with criticism. What I have come to understand from my walk with Jesus, is that any time I step out and do what God has called me to do, I have met with some kind of criticism or interference. The strange thing is that sometimes it comes from people that will quote scripture and hold themselves up as an authority. It can hurt and it can tear you down. We need to remember something that a friend of mine keeps reminding me of – we are in a marathon, not a sprint.
The battles are tough, but we need to remember that the war is already won. Days can be long, but our reward is eternity with our King. We will get beat up, but our healing comes from the Great Physician. When we get tired, we can rest in the knowledge that Jesus will carry us when we can’t go on. Most importantly – our reward awaits us in heaven, not in this world.
According to Galatians 5:22 – longsuffering is one of the gifts of the Spirit. It is a gift that will enable us to get through all the struggles and make it to the end. It is the strength to persevere, to finish the race. The Lord is the source of our strength. What we need to do is stay faithful to the task that God has given us. We are to stand our ground. Often time that may mean a fight. What we fight for – the souls of the lost, the strength for the battle, the reinforcement of fellow believers – to glorify our Lord - is worth the fight.
It is far more comfortable to stay on the side lines and never get in the game. We can wear the uniform. We can have a comfortable place on the bench to sit. We will never mess up or fail. The problem lies in the fact that we have been called to get in the game. We are not called to be spectators. We are called to be participators – to live our faith out loud. If we are in the game, we will – get dirty, not be comfortable and sometimes even mess up. But, we have a God that will help us up, clean us up, and even forgive us when that is needed.
To my struggling friend. Stay in the game! Stand your ground! When you need support, ask for it! Know that you are doing what God has called you to do. Most importantly – keep your eyes on Jesus – the world around you can be a distraction.
Just as a final note – if you find a note and open it and it has no name at the bottom, throw it in the trash before you read it. There is no authority in a note that has no ownership. Criticism is only good if it is constructive- not destructive.