The Fruit of Perseverance
Don't underestimate the impact of your faithfulness on future generations.
The apostle Paul often wrote about perseverance. If anyone demonstrated endurance, it was Paul. He urged believers not to tire of following Christ, even when persecuted. He’d been beaten, stoned, whipped, driven out of town, shipwrecked, reviled, and abandoned. Despite having a thousand reasons to be disheartened, he knew his obedience to God wasn’t in vain.
Consider the awesome harvest that resulted from the apostle’s faithfulness. The gospel spread across the Roman Empire, and the early church grew far beyond the Jewish world. What’s more, the seeds Paul planted by writing his epistles have resulted in billions of lives being transformed. And to think that any strength or insight we draw from these letters is fruit of the hardships he endured!
Do you realize how impactful your life is? Don’t be deceived by Satan’s lie that your suffering or obedience will amount to nothing. Your faithfulness to God never goes to waste. Paul didn’t know the extent of the fruit God would produce through his steadfast obedience. Neither can you gauge how the Lord will use you. So don’t lose heart. Keep your focus on eternal things, not the hardships of this life.