Lessons From the WildernessSample

Training In Building Endurance

Another purpose of training is to build endurance. Any athlete is trained by their coaches so that their bodies have the endurance to last during the training period and for every competition they will participate in in the future.

We are no different as followers of Christ. The wilderness season trains us for the long haul, not just the present. It trains us for the next seasons of growth by building endurance within us. This might seem premature because while in the wilderness, we are so caught up in the everyday struggles that we forget to have a long-term vision. It’s important to remember that the wilderness doesn’t last forever. When God completes his work in us for this season, he eases us into the next. We need endurance deep inside us to persevere and progress in our subsequent journeys. The wilderness does just that.

When you are waiting for what feels like an eternity, you start developing a resilient faith. It’s a faith that doesn’t quit because you know in your gut that God is up to something. When you feel surrounded, you start to look up because you don’t have any other viable options. When you feel like words are not doing justice to your situation, you start to worship with your voice. You see how the hard conditions start to shape your inner being. You no longer are waiting listlessly or feeling pity for yourself. Instead, you are taking each day as it comes, in your stride, with a song on your lips and hope in your heart. You learn to give thanks for the small miracles sprinkled along the way, even when you feel like storm clouds are threatening to burst over you. You stay joyfully calm even in times of uncertainty, knowing fully well that God has a plan in everything.

The endurance built in this season will carry you through the rest of your life as you follow Jesus. Life won’t be easy, but it will be fulfilling because of an enduring faith that was grown in the soil of adversity.