2 Timoth 2:3  Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

The word endure means to stand without yielding, as a soldier would stand.  It implies that there will be an attack or a force that will come against us and that resistance will be necessary.  More than that, it implies that the force will be significant and will require that we stand for a long period of time.  Endurance is a measurement of how long something can last. 

Endure is given as a command.  Why not?  If we are soldiers then we are to follow orders.  The example of a soldier implies I am not directing the battle, but I am performing the role of one who fights and defends at the direction of a commander.

Jesus Christ is the commander.  Then my commander will have to provide the power for me to endure.  He is giving the command and therefore knows how long I must endure, even if I don’t.  He is all knowing and therefore would not ask me to endure if I was not able, or if the enemy would ultimately win anyway.

Hardness is what is coming.  For me to stand without yielding under hardness means that hardness and I must come into contact at some point.  It will be hand to hand combat or worse, a battle in the mind.  Napoleon loved cannons more for the fear that they brought through their loud noise than for their actual destructive capabilities. 

Endurance is built by enduring.   That means every time we vacate the post and do not endure to the end of the attack, we not only fail to build our endurance, but we actually develop a habit of retreating earlier each time.  Little by little we find a way to “spare” ourselves the agony and instead of becoming stronger, we become softer. 

  1. Don’t make soft choices:  It usually starts with making the soft choices as a way to avoid hardness.  Little by little it becomes a way of life and before we know it our M.O. is to dodge rather than do.
  2. Don’t expect a soft life:  We live in a sin filled world.  The presence of sin all around us means that there will be more days of difficulty than of ease.  Expect to endure and to grow through endurance, knowing that our commander in chief has already secured the victory.