Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

Devotion based on 2 Timothy 2:10

What would you be willing to endure if you knew, without a doubt, that you could change one person’s eternal fate? What comforts would you give up? What sacrifices would you make in order to make sure that person’s soul ends up in heaven with God?

God knows who the elect are. In other words, he knows those who will have faith in him and be in heaven one day. We can’t see people’s hearts. We’re not in charge of the results of what happens when we proclaim God’s Word to people. The Holy Spirit is in charge of those results. But we can be active and faithful in pointing people to God’s Word and the message of Christ.

Like Paul, we might face adversity or pushback to our message. It might not be comfortable to speak about our faith. We likely won’t get thrown in prison. But we may find that this world is still just as hostile to the Word of God as it was in Paul’s day. We may have to endure some hardships if we’re going to be disciples of Jesus.

Yet, Paul was willing to endure it all. If reaching someone with the salvation that is in Christ Jesus meant having to go through pain and discomfort in his own life, he considered that worth it. The other person’s eternal gain outweighed his temporary personal pain. Paul’s rock he could lean on to endure the hardships was knowing that he’d already obtained the eternal glory that is in Christ. No matter what happened to him, he was already a victor. He’d already won his race before actually crossing the finish line.

As a believer, you also already know the end of your story. Your eternal fate is sealed with the blood of Jesus shed for you on the cross. His empty tomb will become yours. So, let’s endure whatever we need to in order to make that end of the story a reality for others, too. Let’s run across the finish line into heaven with as many others as possible!

Prayer: