Endurance & Quitters

I enjoy watching documentaries, animal adventures and public broadcast programs. Well, in light of that passion, I began watching this series “Special Selection” on the History channel. It deals with inductees in a special two week training program, who wants to become “Special Op” service personnel for the various branches of the military.  It is a grueling program, and I really don’t think that I ever had or would have the desire to do anything like that.

However, there are quite a few women in the program and some of them appear to be as tough as the males. The trainers are harsh and intimidating, and I promise, if you don’t know who you are, then they will get into your head and turn your life around. My heart goes out to all of the trainees.

One of the things that I have noticed about the trainers is that they look for those persons who appear to be weak, and they ‘ride them’ hard. They attempt to weed out the weakest ones as soon as possible, so, as one instructor put it, “They can get on with the training of those whom they feel will really make it.”

Each instructor, in his own personal interview with the producer of the program has emphasized the importance of being mentally tough; of being able to make your body continue the rigorous 22 hours per day training, when everything in you screams, “I quit.” It is mind over matter; the ability to endure and not to stop.

As I’ve watched a couple of the full episodes and several of the clips, I’ve pondered a Scripture that Paul wrote: “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus…” Philippians 2:5

Jesus never gave up on His intended goal to provide salvation to humankind. Even during the last 24 plus hours of His life, when He was dragged from one ‘kangaroo court’ setting to the next, beaten three times with 39 lashes each time; spit upon, called names, mocked and derided for no reason other than fear and jealousy: yet He endured it all and came out a winner.

I’ve learned that when I yield my heart and mind to the will of God, my endurance increases and my desire to quit is extremely lessened. Therefore, my prayer is: “Lord, help me to endure unto the end, keeping my mind stayed on you, and never entertaining the idea to quit anything that will bring glory to your name.”

More: Lessons About God