Recently, my grandma had knee surgery. She went in a healthy 70-something old woman. But as she came out of the surgery, her endurance had dwindled down to nothing. She had no energy, she was susceptible to illnesses and just did not have the strength she needed or wanted. She caught pneumonia while being bed ridden and instead of the week recovery she was supposed to have, she is still, after three weeks, having difficulty finding the strength to even walk from her room to the living room.

Endurance, however is not just physical or mental. It is also spiritual. God puts roadblocks in our path.. not to test us, but to help us to remember to rely on God. During the last month, my grandparents have not faired very well. One, my Bappaw, has terminal cancer and is in the last stages of it. My grandma, as mentioned before, had knee surgery and two days after she came home from the rehab center, my grandfather fell and went to the hospital with what we thought was a stroke. The series of events really took a toll on my faith. I kept asking God why? Why me? What is your plan? What do you have in store for me? I cant handle three of them hurting, Lord. I think that I was whining more than really asking Him. His reply? If you would rely on me, you wouldnt have questions. If you rely on me, you wouldnt be worried.

POW!! God got me right in my heart. As I thought about endurance though, I realized that God gives us those trials to help us grow. He gives us those troubles to help us to rely fully and completely on God. Trials gives us endurance, and endurance gives us the ability to fully rely on God.