The joy that was set before Him. #endurance

"Therefore, since we are surrounded so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." 

Hebrews 12:1-2 

On Sunday Travis preached on the cross, and the whole time I kept thinking about that phrase, 'who for the joy that was set before him endured...' And I haven't been able to get it out if my head. 

In the past 6-8 months I feel like God's been teaching me what it feels like, and what it is to endure and I probably have only tasted a piece of it. 

   I've always been one of those people to quickly give up. I quit every sport I ever played in all my school years, not because I wasn't any good (I was actually quite athletic) but because I didn't want to endure the practices or the pain and time. I was lazy. For those same reasons, i also quit all my music lessons and choir. I didn't learn commitment until people showed me, by being committed to me. I think endurance and commitment go hand in hand. You can't endure anything, if your not committed. And commitment is a choice. 

Again, for the past 6-8 months, especially most recently, I'm really in a season of WAITING. Which is extremely difficult, and requires a lot of effort on my part to make sure my focus and mind are where they should be, on Christ, and not on all that I am ready and waiting for. Through this waiting season though, I have been learning to endure. Waiting, produces endurance, because if you want to be obedient to Christ in your life and with your heart, you have no choice but to endure and to persevere in the midst of waiting on Him to move you on. Its easy while waiting, to take things into your hands and to become impatient, but that only leads to sin and distraction from the one who holds your heart and knows your steps and holds your future. You have to be intentional and disciplined with your relationship with Christ in these seasons. Always. Because when we have to wait, and we have to endure, our hearts will always try to steer us another direction from waiting. The culture we live in, tells us whatever we want, we can have, and we can have it right now. But God doesn't always work that way. He likes to sanctify us through waiting, to be with Him, to rely on Him, to trust Him and surrender our wills to Him because He is good and will work everything out for the good of those who love Him. 

When I look at Hebrews 12:1-2 and Jesus going to the cross, and on the cross, I can't help but believe that of all people, He truly knows what it is to endure. So why when we need endurance do we not look to Him like Hebrews tells to. He endured the cross, because He knew He had to to save us, He endured the cross because He loved us so deeply, He endured the Father turning His face away because He knew that He would be reunited and seated at the Fathers right hand on His throne. He knew He had to endure, and He did, no matter what insults and torture and pain He had to go through to get there. He saw the joy on the other side. The joy in what was to come, and that helped fuel His endurance. 

   So I ask you, can you see the joy ahead of you in what you are waiting for? And is it worth it? 

Are you focused on what you want or on Christ? 

The ESV Study bible says this about that passage, "the promise of future reward and joy gave Jesus the strength to suffer." Are God's promises enough for you? Because they should be. 

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed." Romans 8:18