You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 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. And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops. Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things. 2Timothy 2:1-7
The Lord gives His children the grace to remain strong in the midst of weariness. Paul gave Timothy the analogies of a solider, an athlete, and a farmer in explaining our spiritual endurance. While those roles are very different, one thing that is similar in all of them is that they all must finish their assignment or it doesn’t count.
A soldier leaves the comfort of his/her home and family to go to unknown places and fight in battles with no guarantee of success. That’s hard work and many times the conditions are very tough. While things may get difficult at times, they have to get back on their feet and go out there and fight again. They have to endure day after day and month and after month until their assignment is finished. Sometimes they may feel like it will never end, but their family is cheering them on and praying for them. They all have the hope and expectation that when the assignment is complete they can embrace their loved one again.
An athlete has worked for months and years to compete, but all the training does not count until he/she finishes the race and does a good job in the process. He/she does not have the time to complain, quit, or feel his/her exhaustion. It must be done, and it must be done with everything that is in them.
A farmer has worked for months and possibly years for that good crop to come forth. Regardless of the season, he/she must go out there and tend the ground and face the elements. They have control over the weather system or pests that could ruin the crop. There is no guarantee that the storms won’t ruin their crop. Nevertheless, it is part of the job to spend time and energy with the hope that they will have good crop. They need to give their best until such a time that the crop is harvested.
At the end of the above passage, Paul prays that we may have understanding of those things that he had just mentioned. In seasons of weariness, the Lord has revelation and understanding in store for us. Everything in life including being a solider, an athlete, and a farmer points to God. All of creation declares His glory and gives us a glimpse of His ways in our lives.
God is faithful, and “He is the rewarder of those who seek diligently Him” (See Hebrews 11:6b). He is our Father, commander, ruler, and provider. He has brought us this far, and He will not leave His children in the desert. His goal is to mature us in our love relationship with Him. He desires for our joy not to be dependent on whether we get our way or not. He has peace and joy available for us in the midst of weariness.
The scripture tells us that “The joy of the Lord is our strength” (See Nehemiah 8:10b). When we feel down, we need to look up to the Lord’s face and experience His joy. When He is joyful, it gives us the strength and the assurance that it’s all going to be ok. The story is not over. He has more open doors, provision, blessings, and breakthroughs in store for us. As we have sown faithfully, someday God will give us the increase!
