Help For Enduring to the End
and Finishing the Race
Make these bold promises your own
as you move on in the early weeks
of a new year . . .
My Friends and Readers:
We must have an unshakeable hope that the sadnesses of life, in the end, will work out for our eternal good.
We must have the firm conviction that our God causes or He uses all things -- suffering and sadness, trials and tribulations, disappointments and defeats, foolish choices and painful failures, and more for our good - that none of this is stronger or greater than our God.
We must have the deep joy of knowing we are saved by our beautiful Savior Christ, kept by the power of God, sealed by his loving Spirit and that in all our weakness and distress - He is mighty to save.
We must have the discernment of wisdom that knows that even the hardest life on earth is but a "night spent in an inconvenient motel" (Theresa of Avila) from the perspective of eternity.
We must have the confidence that God is daily, a God of second chances, fresh starts, new beginnings and that His mercy is new every day.
We must know that when we suffer as followers of Christ, when we suffer for the sake of others (it is called sacrifice), when we suffer simply because we are about the purposes of God in a world that is opposed to Him - God is well pleased with our attempts to be faithful to Him.
We must know that in all this, we are simply about the Imitation of Christ, who left all His privileges in heaven, embraced a world of suffering - and did this for our sake. When we do it as a response of love for Christ and for others - we are moving in to some of the deepest lessons of faith and the most rich experiences of the spiritual life.
May all this be a gift of insight and wisdom that God gives you in the days ahead, as He sends His Spirit to be our teacher and guide, our comfort and Counselor, our power and strength.
In the words of the Apostle Paul, "Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this." 2 Timothy 2:7 In grace and community with you as you walk your journey.
Brian K. Rice
Leadership ConneXtions International
www.lci.typepad.com
