Lesson 29: Enduring hardships
2 Timothy 3:10-17 - www.bible.com/bible/59/2ti.3

10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness,
11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me.
12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it
15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.


Part of what we WILL endure is hardships. Peter said, “Do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes” (1 Peter 4:12). John said, “Do not be surprised that the world hates you” (1 John 3:13). We are temporarily living and working in the enemy’s camp, so we should never expect this life to be easy or peaceful. We are in a battle, but not for our lives, because every child of God has the promise his life is secure in God’s hand (John 10:27-29). We are in a battle to tell as many as we can, who are now part of the enemy camp, how they can find peace and eternal joy in God’s camp.

God never leaves us unequipped to do His work in the enemy camp. He has given us His word – as we read in verses 16-17 above. Notice the benefits to us from the Bible:
• His word teaches us how to endure hardship from examples in the lives of others who have lived before.
• His word reproves us, tells us where we are not prepared for battle or have something in our life which the enemy can use to hurt us. God wants to cut this out of our life, and His pain is far less than the pain of defeat at the enemy’s hand.
• His word corrects us when we have said or done something not according to His way – like a map to tell us we are on the wrong road and how to get back to the right road.
• His word trains us in righteousness – how to be His effective witness to others in this enemy camp.
• The goal for the Bible in our life is that we will be complete. Our completeness is not measured by this world’s standards but by God’s.
• The goal for the Bible in our life is that we will be equipped for everything God asks us to do.
*As you study the Bible, how is God changing your heart and mind and life to be more like Him?
*How have you seen what you learned from the Bible being used to help someone else find Jesus?