Endurance

Waiting is the Hardest Part

Dr. Mike 2025 , , ,

Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me. I am weary with my crying out; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God.   Psalm 69:1-3

Someone recently asked me what is the hardest part of trading the futures market. I didn’t hesitate but replied. The waiting. You are sitting and observing the day’s activity for your anticipated setup. You will spend 90% of your time waiting. Waiting for your setup to form. Then waiting for your entry point to arrive. When your entry point arrives, you are still waiting for confirmation. Are all variables verifying the move? If yes, you enter. If no, you pass on the trade. You then wait for the next opportunity.

Everything in life worth pursuing requires patience. If your wife is pregnant, you are waiting. You are waiting in anticipation of the delivery of your child. If you are interviewing for your ideal job, you are waiting. You are waiting for a favorable reply. If you are competing in a championship game, you are waiting. You wait for the day and moment to arrive. Waiting is part of the cycle of life.

But waiting is hardest when life isn’t working according to plan. When life throws curve balls at us and we keep missing the mark, life can get ugly and depressing. The feeling of hopelessness and helplessness can be overbearing. Without a companion to lean on and help us along the way, the world can turn into a very dark place. Thankful, none of us are every truly alone. God is always present.

King David had his moments of discouragement and helplessness. Psalm sixty-nine expresses his overwhelming sorrow as he calls on God for deliverance. He cries out about the suffering and injustice he is facing. He is crying out for divine intervention. We all have been there. The question is how did we respond?

When circumstances are in stink mode, waiting for an upgrade is hard. When temptation is overbearing, and the future looks bleak, waiting is hard. Yet this is when our faith is being tested. But will we focus on God’s faithfulness or not? Will we recall all the moments God intervened in our past? Will we acknowledge HIS true character or believe lies? Will we hang unto HIS love for us as a Perfect Father? Do we believe HE knows what is best for HIS children and respect HIS decision and timing of the situation? Or do we throw in the towel and quit the race?

When we are down, the devil can’t resist to throw more doubt and lies our way. He knows patience is a virtue that most people lack. Waiting on God is always the hardest part of any situation. As I have said, God is always late according to my schedule. But in reality, HE is always on time. HE is teaching and training and developing us to be more like Jesus. No matter how difficult the situation may seem at the moment, I am always reminded. HIS discipline is the most merciful way for me to learn. So, I again learn to wait on HIM.

David waited thirteen years from being anointed to be crowned the king of Israel. Noah took at least seventy-five years to build the ark. Abraham waited twenty-five years for the birth of his son Isaac. The list of other faithful saints demonstrates the same experience. We all need to learn the importance of waiting on God.

Yes, waiting is the hardest part. But waiting on our Lord Jesus is the best place to be. It may not seem like it now. But in hindsight, you may find it was the physically worst and the spiritually best time in your life. Two of my favorite verses are Matthew 24:13 and Hebrews 12:7. Both highlight the importance of endurance, the fruit of learning to wait on HIM!

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Faith-Integrator, Encourager, Scribbler

“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,” (Colossians 1:9)

Aspirations and Writings Neatly Bound in Book Formats: * indicates audio version now available
at Apple Books

Encourage a Friend…Share Today’s Message!

Copyright 2013-Present | Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved

Suffering. Endurance. Character. Hope.

Dr. Mike 2025 , , , 
Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:2-5

Why is suffering a problem for many people who blame God for its existence? The question arose again this week at our weekly small group meeting. The man has a friend who is a “good person.” But now he is going through medical challenges. This is causing hardship and pain within the family. Why does God allow it he asks.

Some of us have the illusion that suffering is the exception. When in reality, it is the norm. Being free from suffering is the exception.

Suffering is the event that God uses to bring about his spiritual masterpiece in you and I. No one wants to suffer. But a broken world with broken people produces a broken society. In due time, we all will suffer pain.

It may be physical, emotional, relational, or financial. It may cause us to lose our freedom, our dreams, and our well-being. Yes, even good people will suffer. Ask Jesus.

A perfect, sinless man who confronted the masses and political machines of his day. His contribution to society led him to a most torturous death. Yes, even HE could not escape the human clothe of suffering.

Suffering is part of the human condition. One can either wallow in it or accept it. One either moves on or allow its teeth to mull you into oblivion. Yet as the apostle Paul writes, Christ-followers rejoice in their suffering. For believers know God’s Spirit lives in them. HE is doing a work through the pain that will produce a spiritual masterpiece. For suffering produces endurance to lean more and more on Christ. As we lean on HIM, HIS Spirit is remaking our inner heart after HIS image. As we look at the fruit, our hope grows more and more on our relationship with HIM. We see HIS involvement in our life.

Yes, we may not like the process. It hurts. It produces hardships. Yet we have learned to trust HIM. Our focus in on eternity. Our desire is to yield ourselves into HIS arms. To allow HIS Spirit to produce the character needed to serve HIM and others in HIS Kingdom forever.

Yes, suffering produces endurance, character, and hope with the Spirit that lives in us. The sad truth though, without the Spirit, suffering is a waste of energy and resources. A painful trip without meaning and purpose. Thus, lean on Jesus and allow HIS Spirit free reign in shaping you for HIS purpose and plans. 

It is not the story I planned in my youth, but it is the narrative I have chosen to follow. This is HIS story and HE has allowed us to participate with HIM through it. It includes suffering from poor decisions on my part. It involves suffering from the acts and decisions of others. It is the narrative that confronts us on a daily basis. How we respond and follow through is the story-line we write. Through the painful process our heart and character will be shaped. Hopefully, as we trust our Maker, yield to the Spirit’s influence, the final image we reflect will honor HIM.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Faith-Integrator, Encourager, Scribbler

“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,” (Colossians 1:9)

Aspirations and Writings Neatly Bound in Book Formats:

Encourage a Friend…Share Today’s Message!

Copyright 2013-Present | Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved

Keep On Keeping On…and On and On and On…

Dr. Mike 2024 , , ,

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. …who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body”   Philippians 3:14,21

The apostle Paul wrote these words at a time when his circumstances looked bleak. He was in prison. He wasn’t sure of the outcome. He reviewed his life’s achievements and counted them as dung. He considered the prize before him worth the cost paid. His focus was on Jesus. He looked forward to the return of Jesus and the resurrection from the dead.

History doesn’t give us an exact date when or how Paul died. But it is believed he was released from prison shortly after these writings. He was later beheaded around 64-65 AD per Eusebius’ historical records.

Paul’s mindset though was always focused forward. He didn’t dwell on the pain and suffering of the past. He wasn’t bitter. His head and heart was on Jesus. He was willing to forgo all the trappings of worldly success for life in Christ. What kept him going was the promises of God.

He personally had a strong relationship with Jesus. He has seen the life of Jesus in his daily walk. His pain and sufferings reminded him of Jesus. Whatever Jesus went through he wanted to experience the same.

He found his meaning and purpose in Jesus.

Every hurdle, every obstacle, every nuance, was a stepping stone toward his goal. He knew his mission, and lived it.

No matter where he found himself. No matter the situation. No matter the outcome. He kept preaching the good news to everyone around him. When isolated from people, he wrote the good news. When held under house arrest, he invited people to visit him. When held in chains, he spoke the good news with his captures. Whether before governors or daughters of slaves, he kept on living out his purpose.

Yes, Paul is an example for all. He was zealous for God before meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus. Then after being knock down from his high horse, he continued to be zealous. This time equipped with the good news of Jesus.

My bet is even on his last day when he was most likely beheaded, he was preaching the good news to those around him. In fact, some two-thousand years later, we are still reading what he preached. Yes, he is one of our faithful examples of a life that keeps on keeping on for the glory of God.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Faith-Integrator, Encourager, Scribbler

“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,” (Colossians 1:9)

Books By Dr. Mike:

Encourage a Friend…Share Today’s Message!

Copyright 2013-Present | Abbaco LLC | All Rights Reserved