FAITH CAPSULE: Endurance can be painful and can possibly generate unwanted suffering.

Job 2:1-10

Job’s integrity was not hidden before God. He endured in the face of troubling and uncalled challenges which he did not ordered. God testified on behalf of Job in Job 2:3, “Then the LORD said to Satan, ‘Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to destroy him without cause.” Before God, Job was qualified as a man of integrity. Job walked the walk and lived the word of God but the enemy does not excuse him from troubling and uncalled challenges in his life. On top of Job’s challenges was his wife on top of his source of discouragement. Job’s wife attamed to discourage him by asking, “…Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!” (Job 2:9) Despite the discouraging question by his wife, his integrity remained intact before God. The wife of Job was supposed to be a helper to Job in his troubling and uncalled challenges situation. Job’s wife turned to be discouraging agent.
In your challenge, put to remembrance the word of Psalm 34:19, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.” God is in place to answer to His word that has never returned to Him void without performing. God will undoubtedly deliver you if you endure with integrity.
Job with endurance, he did not waver but held onto his testimony of integrity.
Today, is there any kind of Job that endure challenges with integrity? Self-acclaimed believer, pastor, prophet-liars or Apostle-deceiver should be answering as a soldier of Christ. Today’s soldiers of Christ should endure with integrity until missions of God are accomplished. Today’s soldier of Christ should endure with integrity for the cause of the cross that Jesus carried to Calvary when He was crucified. Today, money gospel is everywhere with no endurance and integrity to truly follow Christ as His Christ soldiers. Paul, the apostle, admonished Timothy by using an illustration of a soldier.  “You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.” (2 Timothy 2:3-4)
The first notable statement in Paul’s illustration for faithfulness is that a soldier (follower of Christ) must endure hardship. Unfortunately, Christian soldiers today do not want to endure hardship, but rather want to enjoy worldly pleasures or live conveniently instead living with commitment. Endurance can be painful and can possibly generate unwanted suffering. However, enduring hardship is what qualifies a Christian soldier as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
As a Soldier of Christ with endurance and integrity, God will not fail to back you up. Keep eyes up to Him.

Prayer for today: Ask for the grace of God to make you up and live life for His glory.