Determined or Deterred? Embracing a Lifestyle of Faith and Endurance

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"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf shall not wither, and whatever he does shall prosper." -- Psalm 1:1-3 (NKJV)

David, the famous psalmist and the man after God's own heart (Acts 13:22, NKJV), penned the words in Psalm 1, giving us both instructions and the spiritual keys to hope for a lifestyle of faithfulness.

Take a moment right now and reflect on your life. A unique and personal history brought you to this point, and a special future awaits you. How wonderful that we, like David, can follow and meditate upon the Word of the Lord and align are hearts with His. (Psalm 1:2, NKJV)

However, because we were born into sin and we live in a fallen world, we move through many spiritual seasons in life. There are times of indescribable joy, and at other times, we experience tremendous grief and sadness. A friend in ministry once said that in this sinful world, we are either going into a season of great and painful challenges, or we are coming out of a season of challenges. His words implied that, on this sinful earth, there is no true season of total bliss. I wondered about that statement. What are your thoughts?

So then, are you determined or deterred?

When I think of determined, I immediately think of babies and toddlers learning to roll over, crawl, and push themselves to stand. They hold on to chairs, mama's hand, daddy's leg, whatever is nearby! And then the little ones eventually go crawling or even running wildly across the living room floor, full of joy. In most families, parents and grandparents encourage the littles in their development. These toddlers are determined, full of purpose, and incredibly driven to accomplish age-appropriate tasks. Can you relate?

Sadly, some toddlers and older children live in an environment full of anger, abuse, or trauma where parents not only deter themselves from a faithful lifestyle but also stifle and fail to encourage their children. Unfortunately, these patterns of childhood maladjustment may evolve into adult response patterns of fear, avoidance, or defeat. Maybe your childhood was more like this picture. Is there something in your life now that deters you from embracing a lifestyle like David describes?

I want to encourage you and tell you that the Lord knows all these situations, and He sees yours, too. For those who endure and persevere, there is hope. Keep reading!

How do you face challenges?

As believers, we face similar challenges in life. You might be a brand-new believer, just getting your toes in the water of faith, but excited to share your testimony of transformation with others. How wonderful! We applaud your achievement, your tenacity, and joy! You feel determined to follow the Lord, to pray, praise and worship Him as you stay on the narrow path of a lifestyle filled with faith.

But then, a bump in the road slows you down, or even stops you for a time from moving forward on your faith journey. Sometimes, it's a disagreement with a family member, angry words that cannot be retracted, a difficult unexpected medical diagnosis, or the death of a loved one. Are you determined to stay faithful, praying, praising and worshipping our heavenly Father? Or are you like the seed planted on rocky soil, having no depth or foundation roots, (see Matthew 13:5-6, NKJV), deterred or even overcome by these challenges?

Embracing the Challenge

I have learned through my own personal journey of faith, often the hard way, to pray without ceasing, lean not on my own understanding, and to keep my heart and mind stayed on our Heavenly Father. And I know that all things work together for good for those who love the Lord and worship Him in righteousness. Let's take a closer look at these Scriptures.

A Guide to Determined Action steps:

* Pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, NKJV). "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." I hear you! Maybe you do not know what to pray, or you are a new believer with excitement and joy, but limited depth. Sometimes, quietly saying "Jesus, help me" is all you need to say. And learn to wait and hear His answer. But keep praying. Start a prayer journal and record your thoughts and prayers. Date the entries and then look back later and see how the Lord answers your prayers. This practice helped me tremendously during tough seasons in my life.

* Lean not on my own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6, NKJV). "Trust in the Lord with all your heart And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." Find a church or local group of believers to help you learn more about the Lord and His Word. Consider viewing sermons or Biblical teaching online via church websites, YouTube or other media. Pastors or church elders often lead small Bible study groups where you can not only build friendships with other believers but also improve your understanding of the Word. Take action and find a group that helps you. Learn from those further ahead of you on their faith journey. Ask how they have endured and remained determined in their faith.

* Keep my heart and mind stayed on Him (Isaiah 26:3, NKJV). "You will keep Him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because He trusts in You." Even in the darkest seasons, remember that the Lord is with you. Continue your prayers to our heavenly Father. Read His Word and learn how giants of the faith kept their eyes on the Lord during their trials and tribulations. And, most of all, stay connected and be accountable to your family of believers! Ask them to pray for you. The Lord hears and answers prayer! Ask Him specifically for direction and His wisdom in the matter. Expect to hear from Him. Sometimes, the answer is now and not yet. Often, an answer will come to you through another believer. And yet other times, the answer is "No, but I have something better for you." The Lord loves to hear from His children. Learn to keep your eyes and ears on the One who loves you!

* All things work together for good to those who love God (Romans 8:28, NKJV). "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." Know that each one of us is called to a special role and function in God's Kingdom. We learn our Kingdom assignment as we grow in our faith. Loving God means loving others - the least of these. Frequently these people cannot help or repay your kindness. See who the least of these are in Matthew 25:37-40 (NKJV). Often, taking an action step like praying with someone, taking a meal to a distraught family after a funeral, or offering to babysit children to give young parents a break - all these ideas work together for good in God's Kingdom. And the steps personally lead you to greater faith and your Kingdom purpose.

These action steps have helped me to build endurance as I mature in my faith. At the core is my desire to remain aligned with the heart of God - an honest and committed determination to persevere in my faith.

As we see in Hebrews," Therefore, we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." (Hebrews 12:1, NKJV).