Weary in the World

. . . continue in the faith . . . Acts 14:22 NLT Perseverance is the badge of true saints. The Christian life is not only a beginning in the ways of God, it is a continuation in those ways as long as life lasts. Christians should say, like the French emperor Napoleon, “Conquest has made me what I am, and conquest must maintain me.” Dear brother or sister in the Lord, your motto should be, “Excelsior—still higher.” We are only true conquerors, to be crowned in the end, if we continue until the trumpet of war no longer sounds. Perseverance is, therefore, the target of all our spiritual enemies. The world does not object to your being a Christian for a while, if you can be tempted to quit your pilgrimage and settle down to buy and sell in Bunyan’s allegorical town of Vanity Fair. The flesh will try to trap you and prevent you from pressing on to glory: “It is weary work being a pilgrim,” your flesh will say. “Come on, give it up. Am I always to be subdued? Am I never to be indulged? Give me at least a vacation from this constant warfare.” Satan will make many fierce attacks on your perseverance; it will be the target for all his arrows. He will work to hinder your spiritual service; he will insinuate that you are doing no good; he will urge you to rest. He will try to make you weary of suffering; he will whisper, “Curse God and die” (Job 2:9). Or he will attack your steadfastness: “What is the good of being so zealous? Be quiet like the rest; sleep like others do. Let your lamp go out like those virgins in Jesus’s parable.” Or he will assail your doctrinal sentiments: “Why do you hold to these creeds? Sensible people are growing more accepting; they are removing the old landmarks. Fall in with the times.” Wear your shield, Christian! Close upon your armor! Cry out unto God that by His Spirit you may endure to the end. - C.H. Spurgeon Morning and Evening 

It's not often when an Evening writing by Spurgeon stands out like this one does. 

But in the days in which we live it's a hallmark of the times. Weariness. 

It's hard work trying to do and say and think in the world when most every voice you hear tries to change you in ways thay aren't always Biblical. 

It's hard in the workplace when they have crafted policies to prohibit most talk about Christianity. 

It's harder still when you now have to embrace their 'inclusiveness' because that is policy too.  You can't speak on what you believe unless the person you are speaking to consents. If not it's forbidden. Yet you must listen to what others have to say. 

Weariness sets in.  The workload is increased to a point where you are either physically or mentally or both when you finally go home. 

To the point where when you do get home you really just don't want to think or even do anything.   Weariness. 

What I have been trying to make myself do is stay focused.  Both there and outside of there.  To make sure that I don't compromise in my Bible and devotional reading.  To make sure that I pray when I can.  No matter where. 

Weariness is a part of life...but it doesn't define life.  We can still choose to push back on it.  But the need to be sensible about it also is there.  We must use common sense.  A tired body means a tired mind. Tired minds make mistakes. 

Stay in prayer. Keep your armor on.

We're not finished yet.  Fight the good fight as Paul said.