Halfway

Caroline Nelson

Revelation 1:9 “I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus.”

When I read this verse I can’t help but picture myself in John’s shoes. He was constantly fighting for the name of the Lord, no matter what the outcome was. At this point He had been banished to the island of Patmos because of Jesus, but he didn’t grow faint heart. If serving God meant losing everything, he was still in it for the long run, encouraging his brothers and sisters in Christ and seeking God. 

John was no stranger to suffering, but as for myself, I don't remember ever physically suffering for the name of Jesus. Would I be willing? The next thing that hit me was he says the “patient endurance that are ours in Jesus” - He didn’t claim to have done any of this on his own. The perseverance He gathered was not by his own strength, but because he leaned on the Lord. One morning this week I woke up in my top bunk and thought, “Yikes, I still have 9 months left” and my mind wandered to what life was like before July 8th, 2017; sleeping in, staying up late, making my own schedule, hanging out with friends, eating dinner with my family, driving. Then I read this verse and instantly felt convicted. John endured WAY more in the name of Jesus and was still serving Him whole-heartedly. I can’t get burnt out, God has asked me to be here at this place at this time and I will put my hope in Him instead of wishing for my old, mundane life. 

Application: I will not talk about home until my next wifi time and I will pray for endurance every time I think about home.