Endurance

It's funny how you hear from God at the most random places and in the middle of the least "spiritual" activities. It happened to me last night at my Zumba class.

Photo Credit: http://jessielah.wordpress.com/

My favorite instructor was on leave. Heard about her being on the road with her touring musician husband.

Therefore, an couple of alternate Zumba instructors were doing the classes as substitutes. I personally find it difficult to adjust to new teaching styles every time I attend a class -- whether it is a fitness class or just a regular learning environment.

Last night was especially hard to adjust to. The instructor was the sweetest, nicest lady but I just could not get my rhythm on with her teaching style.

I was messing up on every routine. I am a bad dancer to begin with. While my favorite instructor had basic, high-impact, non-stop dance moves, last night's routines were a little more complicated.

Needless to say, I was struggling in keeping up with the class. Halfway through it, I was contemplating whether to leave the class or not. The indoor track at the gym looked way more appealing. And truthfully, going home, making some dinner, and watching the latest Parks and Recreation episode seemed the most appealing.

And yet I couldn't. It started becoming an issue of endurance when facing a difficult, almost unbearable situation.

I do not mean to "Jesus Juke" (after all it is just a Zumba class and I can't stand Jesus Jukes) but Romans 5:3-4 immediately came into my heart. It also happened to be my morning devotional Bible verse.

"More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope ..."

I started challenging myself quietly. If I cannot endure the difficulty of the remaining 30-minute class, then how will I respond when I start training for charity runs? How about when I am faced with really unpleasant leadership while working on a project? Or even on merely having to wait for 30 more minutes until a really bad conversation is over?

I knew that my character is not the best when it comes to endurance. I cannot stand long periods of suffering. In fact, I am terrible at it. I admire people who know the difference of what situations to endure and those that are clearly just a waste of their time.

I want to be able to withstand an uncomfortable situation. I want to someday run mile after mile and feel great every step of the way. I want to be able to discern events I have to put up with and the ones I can clearly walk out on. I want to be able to patiently wait on the promises of the Lord even if it is taking years to be fulfilled.

I do not know how long it will take for me to get to that point but I wanted last night's class to be the start.

Tell me:

Describe a time when you had to endure something so unpleasant. 

What was the Lord's revelation to you?