June 1, 2023
O, this persevering is a hard word! this taking up the cross daily, this praying always, this watching night and day, and never laying aside our clothes and armour, I mean indulging ourselves, to remit and unbend in our holy waiting on God, and walking with God. This sends many sorrowful away from Christ, yet this is the saint’s duty, to make religion his every-day work, without any vacation from one end of the year to the other.
William Gurnall, The Christian in Complete Armour
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Perseverance is the hardest part of the Christian life. Anyone can make changes in their life for a day or a week. But an entire lifetime of devotion to God, his commandments, and living righteously? It often seems insurmountable. Regardless, this is our calling. If endurance becomes a struggle, fall back to your biggest weapons: prayer, scripture, and your brothers and sisters in the body. And take time to reflect on how your life has improved since you began walking with Christ; compare the person you were before with who you are now. Count your blessings, and the walk won’t seem like a struggle.