Lenten Reader | Day 14

March 20th, 2025

Perseverance

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Hebrews 12:1-3

"The pain is too great. The sorrow is too deep. The sadness is all too real." -excerpt from my journal November 2024.

To say that this past year has been the most difficult season of my life would be a massive understatement. Trial after trial after trial, I have walked through a brokenness I never imagined. Never in a million years did I think I would experience this kind of hurt. Yet in my darkest hour, experiencing the most desperate low I have ever felt, I pleaded with God to make the suffering worth it – to bring goodness out of heart-wrenching pain.

Hebrews 12 reminds us that no matter what we are going through, if we put our faith in the One who makes us whole, He has equipped us with the perseverance to not only endure but to emerge even stronger. He tells us in Romans 5: 3-4: “we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope."

We may never fully understand why we go through the hardships we face. But we can hold onto this truth – God never leaves us to suffer alone. He walks with us and carries us in our trials, strengthens us in our weakness, and transforms our pain into something greater than we can imagine. Through this perseverance, He produces hope. But it is up to us to choose to persevere and accept this hope while fully relying on Him to see it to fruition.

As we enter this Lenten season, preparing our hearts to remember Christ's ultimate sacrifice and celebrate His resurrection, I encourage you – no matter what trial you are facing or will face – cling to Him. Keep running the race. Set your eyes and hearts on Jesus, the One who endured it all for us, and trust that He is encouraging, strengthening, and leading you toward a hope that never fails.

Vanessa Linton