2 Timothy - Endurance
Lesson 21: Enduring in joy

2 Timothy 1:1-7 - www.bible.com/bible/59/2ti.1

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus,
2 To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3 I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day.
4 As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy.
5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.
6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands,
7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.


We’ve talked about perseverance in several earlier lessons, and as we begin studying Paul’s second letter to Timothy we will find this same idea in this book where we find the word “endurance.”

Life is not always easy. In fact, it is far more often challenging than easy. There will be times when our challenges seem too big, our disappointments too deep, our day too dark, our road too long for us to be able to endure. But those are the times we look to the purpose for our life – Jesus – and determine to keep going with His help and in His power. We find our joy, just as Paul told Timothy in verses 4-6 above, in the things Jesus has done for us, given us, and promised us. Sometimes the joy is awakened as we see someone we love who shares our love for Jesus. Sometimes our joy comes from remembering what He has done for us or for someone we love. Sometimes joy comes from seeing how God is working in our life at this moment.

The point in these verses is: Seeking the joy which can help us endure is an intentional thing – we choose to seek the joy. Remembering to pray for someone will not come to us by accident, we must choose to pray. Sometimes remembering someone’s tears can be painful to us, but we choose to remember and then choose to look beyond the tears to the time when our joy will be complete again as we are reunited with that person – even if that reunion will not happen again until we get to Heaven.

We choose also to use the gifts God has given us, whatever they are, for His Kingdom (Matthew 6:33). Joy in service comes from the Holy Spirit Himself as a fruit of our faithfulness – Galatians 5:22-23.

 *What are some of the hardest times God has called you to walk through in your life so far? How has God shone the light of His joy into your heart as you’ve endured terrible, dark pain? Have you chosen to share His joy with others to encourage them to endure?