Come Be My Follower - Jehovah's Witnesses Official Media Web Site

“CONSIDER CLOSELY THE ONE WHO HAS ENDURED” 67
dured? What enabled him to endure? How can we follow
his example? Before we answer these questions, though,
let us examine what endurance involves.
What Is Endurance?
4 From time to time, all of us are “grieved by various
trials.” (1 Peter 1:6) Does the fact that we undergo a trial
necessarily mean that we are enduring it? No. The Greek
noun for “endurance” means “the capacity to hold out
or bear up in the face of difficulty.” Regarding the kind
of endurance referred to by Bible writers, one scholar explains:
“It is the spirit which can bear things, not simplywithresignation,butwithblazinghope...Itisthe
quality which keeps a man on his feet with his face to
the wind. It is the virtue which can transmute the hardest
trial into glory because beyond the pain it sees the goal.”
5 To endure, then, is not simply a matter of experiencing
inescapable hardship. In the Biblical sense, endurance
involves steadfastness, keeping the right mental attitude
and a hopeful outlook in the face of trials. Consider an illustration:
Two men are imprisoned in similar conditions
but for very different reasons. One, a common criminal,
begrudgingly serves his sentence with sad-faced compliance.
The other, a true Christian imprisoned for his faithful
course, stands his ground and keeps a positive attitude
because he sees his situation as an opportunity to
demonstrate his faith. The criminal can hardly be considered
an example of endurance, whereas the loyal Christian
exemplifies this sterling quality.—James 1:2-4.
6 Endurance is essential if we are to gain salvation.
4, 5. (a) What does “endurance” mean? (b) How might we illustrate
that endurance involves more than just experiencing inescapable
hardship?
6. How do we cultivate endurance?