Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2
A couple of weeks ago I was traveling and stopped to get gas. The screens on the gas pumps not only provided instructions, but also weather, news and entertainment. As I pumped gas, the screen showed “the word of the day” and displayed the word “pertinacious”. The definition that it provided was “willful” and the example of usage that it gave was “He became pertinacious in his old age.” As I thought about this, I immediately thought about Solomon, Joash and Amaziah. The connection came from a chart of the kings of Judah that I’ve been using to keep them straight. These three are all listed as having done right in their youth and evil in their old age. They started strong but their resolve waned as they aged. As I investigated the meaning of the word further, I found that there are two very different meanings to the word. The one that commonly comes up first is determination or perseverance. However, it is the secondary definition that reflects willfulness. According to Merriam-Webster it can mean: sticking to an opinion, purpose, or course of action in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion. Is this not an accurate description of what happens when we let our faith wane? Even though we know that “seeking first the kingdom of God” and “drawing near to God” provide us with the best possible life, we often drift away even though it defies reason. We’re constantly reminded in scripture to endure and persevere yet it’s often easier said than done. Aside from sheer stubbornness, three possible reasons that we struggle are influence, distraction and lethargy.
We’re told that Solomon’s downfall was due to the influence of his wives. I trust that the struggle for Joash and Ahaziah was partly due to the fact that Joash’s great-grandfather Jehoshaphat, although a righteous king, allied himself with Ahab through marriage and thereby introduced an evil influence into the family. Scripture is full of examples of those who were led astray and warnings to be alert in our faith. Consider Paul’s warning to the Corinthians: “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company corrupts good morals.’” (1 Corinthians 15:33) Even Solomon warned: “The righteous is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.” (Proverbs 12:26) While we are called to minister to and share the gospel with those who do not know God, we need to be careful not to allow them to negatively influence our behavior. In some cases we need to separate ourselves from those whose behavior poses too great threat to our godliness, but in all cases we are told to surround ourselves with and listen to godly people who will encourage us in our faith and challenge us when get off course. Paul certainly promotes this in Hebrews 3:13: “But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” Despite how we feel, past hurts and real or imagined hurdles, we are called to engage with the body of Christ. By staying connected to our fellow brothers and sisters, we can: give and receive encouragement, extend and accept grace as well as protect ourselves from isolation that often leaves us defenseless against Satan’s attacks.
In life there are many distractions: busyness, trials, worry, social standing, and political correctness to name a few. Each experience of our lives impacts us and has the opportunity to move us closer to or further from God. Christ explains common reasons that people move away from God in the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:3-23). There are those who turn from faith at the first hint of trouble because they have failed to become deeply rooted in Christ and refuse to accept difficult circumstances in their lives. There are others who allow chasing careers, advancing social standing, or cultural doctrines to choke out their faith. While they may still believe that God exists, they choose not to live godly lives. However, we must work daily to combat the challenges to our faith: when trials come, we turn to God and His word for sustaining grace and guidance; we work as unto the Lord, but do not allow career goals to become gods; we choose to be content wherever God places us in the social stratus; and as cultural or even religious messages come before us we examine them in light of scripture as the Bereans did (Acts 17:11) and seek God’s wisdom and direction. Life is full of both pleasures and challenges that can pull us in many directions, but as Christians we are called to remain faithful and stand firmly on God’s truth and find our delight in God.
Lethargy is another challenge to our faith. Sometimes it’s a character flaw that we must overcome. Another cause is that life is going well and we take our faith and life for granted. However, it’s most common source is likely to be spiritual fatigue, physical fatigue or both that are the result dealing life’s troubles. After His temptation in the wilderness, even Christ needed some rejuvenation as described in Matthew 4:11: “Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.” There is no sin in fatigue; however, how we respond to it matters greatly. When we tend properly to our body and soul, we will find ourselves ready to move forward. However, in an effort to care for our bodies, we often neglect to care for our souls and drift away from God. It’s a passive choice, but a choice nonetheless. As someone who struggles with chronic fatigue, it’s a challenge to maintain my energy level let alone manage the needs of my soul. To some extent, I try to “idiot proof” my soul care by subscribing to devotionals, verses of the day, etc. While that helps, I still must make the effort to take time with God. We can’t just go through the motions and expect our souls to take care of themselves. Before his denial, Christ tells Peter that He has prayed that Peter’s faith would not fail. But Christ’s concern is not only for Peter, but also for those whom Peter’s ministry would “strengthen”. The same is true of us. We should daily seek God’s strength and wisdom not only for ourselves but also for the sake of those who share our lives whether it is for a brief or extended period. Being lax about our faith just isn’t an option.
The definitions of pertinacious reflect two extremes. At one end we have strong character yielding perseverance while at the other end we have willfulness in spite of reason. Where do you stand? Are you persevering or willfully disobedient? Or more importantly, which way are you moving; are you growing in grace or is your faith waning? If you’re strong and persevering, be thankful, use it to encourage others and glorify God remembering to continually ask God to strengthen you and fill you with His spirit. If you’re barely hanging on or feel your faith waning, what changes need to be made? Illness and trials can leave us feeling weak and incapable of change, but just as God has gifted us with faith in Him, He is standing ready to help when we ask in faith. He is willing to replace our uncertainty with His wisdom, our weakness with His strength, and our stress with His peace. No matter where you are in life, He invites you to continually ask for His help and promises to deliver what you need. Or as Christ put it in Luke 11:13, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”
Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.
Will