While preparing my heart and mind for this weekend’s teaching from Matthew 4 about Jesus’ temptation I came across this commentary and found it profoundly helpful, especially in light of yesterday’s blog post:

If God is calling and empowering you to do something for him, you can expect to be tested, and you can expect testing commensurate with the seriousness of your call. The devil may not show up in person or test you on the same supernatural level that he tested Jesus, but your hardships may seem unbearable apart from the grace of God. Nevertheless, testing is for our good: when biblical heroes had matured through the time of testing, they knew the depth of God’s grace that had sustained them. The truly triumphant boast not in their success in the test but in God’s empowerment, without which they could not have overcome. Jesus went into this testing only after the Father had empowered him in the Spirit (3:16). (Taken from the IVP New Testament Commentary on Matthew that you can view for free on Biblegateway.com).

You can only be a Navy SEAL if you can make it through “Hell Week.” If you want to reach the top of the mountain you’ll have to climb the mountain! I don’t know what you’re facing right now but don’t you stop. Don’t quit. Stay in the game! Keep swinging that bat… pulling the trigger… pushing the button… saying the prayer… or whatever it is that you need to do to hang in there.

On the other side of the test is graduation!  See you there!