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The weeks are rushing by in quick succession as we live our lives according to God's weekly Sabbath and the holy days within the 7 annual Festivals of God. The previous two Sabbaths to the one we just enjoyed were kept at home due to acquiring the virus beginning with the letter C. We were very grateful to do this, to keep the Sabbath at home despite the initial disappointment. We were healthy for Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread season and then came Pentecost 50 days later with my husband ill as the Sabbath ended and Pentecost began. Attending on my own was strange to celebrate without the love of my life, leaving him at home believing that he had another one of his sinus infections. Little did we suspect 24 hours later he actually had the highly contagious virus. With valuable hindsight I should not have attended on Sunday. Some nurse am I! It never occurred to me that it was anything but sinus related which is definitely not catchy. Just goes to show that we cannot take anything for granted and it is better if we think the worst — potentially infectious — rather than rely on experience especially when we are dealing with new, strange, and diabolical laboratory man-made illnesses as it would have prevented the spread to others who have not had the virus as yet. However what's done is done and we can't do anything about it except move on and learn from it. Thankfully God knows our hearts and intentions, knowing we do not want to spread disease to anyone, even our worst enemies.
According to the Oxford Lexico online Dictionary, to keep on keeping on is an idiom which means to "Persevere or continue in a course of action, especially when faced with adversity". Even better than this, the Bible shows us that perseverance is a fruit of the Spirit as mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23. The New King James version says longsuffering which is what we know to be perseverance. This can be really monotonous, difficult, boring, definitely testing, but it is necessary to build character for which we all need to show God what we are made of from our free will decisions made on a daily basis. The longer our journey, the more instances in which we find ourselves persevering. Some from our fellowship have had much shorter journeys yet they had stronger trials in persevering due to the dying process in suffering. Thankfully God knows what is best for us in order to perfect us until we await the time of our resurrection when we will be like God from the change written about in 1 Corinthians 15:52 "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye…" it will be that instantaneously swift. This is what keeps us going, part of it anyway.
Perseverance is also endurance and to do this with a smile on our face — well that is really tough especially when in a trial that seems to be going on forever. Then the trial of all trials where it takes everything out of you with nowhere to go while you deeply connect with God. Many a heartfelt prayer with tears has been said during these times for self, for physical family, and spiritual family. The worst trial of my life to date occurred in 2013 watching a close family member go through horrendous pain both mentally and physically. Even though, as horrific as it was, this experience was the one that drew me the closest to God. I didn't understand but fully trusted He would help and God did. This showed me that humans are so weak and limited but God is not. God was there for me when I felt like all had abandoned me. Obviously I needed that to grow spiritually and now refer to these as faith building moments. Instead of wanting to share with others first, like your best friend which is what I was used to all my life, it is pleasing to know that a breakthrough occurred in 2013 and now it is always God I think of immediately and run to, spilling my guts out as it were, emptying all the issues that need attention, while we sort through everything together (Isaiah 1:18) by proving, fixing, as only communicating with God can help and satisfy me much like Solomon and King David write about in Proverbs 18:10, and Psalm 18:2. I imagine we have all been there at one time or another.
We may all need to go through much more before our change and we have learnt to take it one day at a time. That is the only way to do it. Keep on keeping on showing God we will do as He says not as we think we should be doing. Biblical scripture written by the apostle Paul to edify, comfort and inspire us is provided in Romans 8:18 "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" and 2 Corinthians 4:7-18 "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed — always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is working in us, but life in you. And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, 'I believed and therefore I spoke', we also believe and therefore speak, knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal".
That is quite a bit to digest and absorb, yet we know those who have gone before us in perilous times now await their change, just like we will if we endure to the end. Think of Job, read from Hebrews 11 known as the faith chapter, meditate upon the words from James 5:7-11 "Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door! My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful".
Whatever we do, we must endure, never give up, show God our obedience to Him faithfully one step at a time, and keep reading our Bibles to see the great examples, the comfort, the words of such pure wisdom, inspiration, incredible encouragement, and beautiful joy from our Father and our Saviour Jesus the Christ who gave everything for us so that we might live not only in this physical life, but in the eternal life with them forever and ever as part of the God family. It just doesn't get any better than this. The question remains how much do you want it? We must be willing to give all, even our very lives just like Jesus Christ, the apostle Paul, and every firstfruit faced with adversity from imprisonment or torture. Trust in God for He says we will not be tested beyond what we can cope with and He will provide a way of escape as 1 Corinthians 10:13 reveals. Therefore we have nothing to lose but everything to gain. This life and stuff we have and go through now is temporary, rubbish as Paul accurately and zealously writes about in Philippians 3:7-10 — this scripture always brings a big smile to my face and even a laugh! This truly encourages me big time. Focus on the encouragement God gives you because we all need it to keep on keeping on. So many different things can encourage us; classical music is just one of my favourite ways to meditate on God's perfection.
Perhaps you would like some music with good lyrics to listen to before you go get your Bible out and open it up after you ask God simply…"please show me Your plan for me, show me what I have to look forward to when all seems lost, when I am tired, confused, do not understand and scared of what the future seems to hold because the world wants me to believe that you do not care or even exist, but I refuse to believe these lies as they are the work of the devil". https://youtu.be/eGgmUXXCOVU — the song is called "Keep on Keeping on" which is no random coincidence. Then when you have read to your heart's content there are the Beyond Today TV segments anyone can access on the internet or by clicking on the following link: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/television for any biblical topic one can think of to help you have a closer relationship with your Creator. You do not have to feel alone, confused, or tormented as that is the opposite of what your Saviour desires for you. He definitely wants you to know that not only did He die for you, for me, for all of humanity while we were still sinners (Romans 5:7-8 and John 3:16) but He wants us to know how valued, how loved, how wanted you are because we do have a purpose in this life but it is up to you and me to claim that purpose by getting to know God. I began this journey on 14 November 2006 and have never looked back. How about you? Isn't it time to live life and live it more abundantly as written about in John 10:10? Your life will take on new meaning and fulfillment with rich experiences, some exciting, others not so much but necessary to consistently keep on keeping on until Jesus Christ ushers in His Kingdom of God.