Tag: Good

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The Cardinal Virtues for the Christian Life, Part 5: Resolute Endurance (Fortitude)

In the 1920s, Clarence Keith wanted to leave the United States and serve as a missionary in South Africa. In those days, you had to mail in paperwork, get visas approved, and hope everything turned out alright when you arrived at the boat (not the plane!) to cross the ocean.

Clarence arrived in New York a couple of days before his departure, but the visa was not ready. The trip was cancelled. He returned to his home in southern Indiana to contemplate his next steps.

Roberta McMillan had attended God’s School of the Bible at the same time as Clarence. She also applied to be a missionary. She was refused because the organization did not want to send her as a single woman.

She also returned home to contemplate her next steps.

When you want to do something big in the world, setbacks and opposition are inevitable. What will you do when you hit a wall?

To keep going forward, you need resolute endurance. That’s the fourth cardinal virtue. It is sometimes called fortitude or courage. It is the ability to keep going and continue doing good when things get hard.

How the Bible Describes This
Resolute endurance is a common theme in the Bible. In living the Christian life and seeking to do good works, you will face opposition. You need the strength of endurance to keep going.

Jesus is the model here. He set before Himself a great goal: the redemption of the world. That mission meant opposition and the cross (Heb. 12:1–3). We are to consider His example and prepare ourselves to follow it.

One word the Bible uses for this virtue is patience. People develop at different rates, process things differently, and sometimes oppose us. The Apostle Paul encouraged the Thessalonians to recognize these differences and respond wisely. He said, “warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak . . .” (1 Thess. 5:14). But then he added a universal command: “be patient with all.”

Getting people to work together takes patience. That is the fourth virtue applied to ordinary relationships.

Another biblical word for this virtue is perseverance. It refers to our ability to keep doing good in the face of opposition.

Jesus said, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you” (Luke 6:27).

Some people hear this as a reaction: wait until someone harms you, then try to do them good. But I think Jesus intends something deeper: do as much good as you can, and don’t let the evil actions of others deter you from continuing to do good—even toward those who wrong you.

Paul captured this beautifully: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:21).

That is the principle. Keep doing good no matter what.

Why? To let evil triumph? No. Ultimately, to overcome it with good.

This is where hope comes in. Hope is the oxygen of resolute endurance.

The Need for Hope
Consider Jesus again. What kept Him going?

A vision of the good: “For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:2).

We do not endure suffering for suffering’s sake. We endure suffering for the sake of the good.

How can we have hope? Let’s consider the hope we have for ourselves and the hope we can have for the good we seek to do in the world.

First, what hope do we have for ourselves when we face hardship? That God will turn it for our good.

The Apostle Paul explains this promise: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28).

Some people hear this and think: God will bring good out of this, but we do not know what that good is. While it is true we cannot see everything God is doing, Paul actually tells us what that good is: “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son . . .” (Rom. 8:29).

The good that God is working in His people is transformation—making them more like Jesus.

This purpose gives us hope when life is hard. In fact, it allows us to rejoice even in suffering.

Earlier in Romans, Paul wrote: “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Rom. 5:3–4).

This is something people already know from experience: going through hard things can make you stronger. You grow. You learn.

That is Paul’s point. The greatest heroes pass through the greatest trials. Great threats often produce great victories.

But in this case, victory is not uncertain. In Christ, it is assured. That is why there is real hope.

What about the good we seek to do in the world? Can we hope that our efforts will matter?

Yes.

Paul explains the principle this way: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Gal. 6:9).

This promise does not refer only to individual growth. It refers to the good we do for others.

Paul continues: “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Gal. 6:10).

Doing good is not only good in itself. It also produces results. It makes an impact.

This is the vision we must keep before us when we encounter setbacks. Continuing to pursue the good will be good for us, good for others, and bring glory to God.

The Resolute Endurance of Clarence & Roberta
Clarence Keith and Roberta McMillan shared their experiences with each other through letters. Over time, they came to a conclusion.

They should go to the mission field—and they should go together as husband and wife.

About a year after their initial setback, they set off by boat for what was then Swaziland. They made the difficult journey to this landlocked nation and began a mission.

They carried sweet potatoes and biltong (a form of beef jerky) into the bush on long treks and shared the Gospel.

They raised children—eight of them, in fact. They milked cows and later had their children help milk them to provide milk for the family. They raised their own food. They ordered clothing patterns from the Sears catalogue and made clothes for their children.

Decades later, God called them to another mission in what was then Southern Rhodesia. God provided funds for a medical mission that is still operating today in what is now Zambia.

What if they had given up?

None of that good would have been done.

They could have enjoyed a comfortable life in America, no doubt. But the greater good would have remained undone.

I also would not be here, because they are my great-grandparents.

In 2014, I preached a sermon on legacy to more than 100 descendants and spouses of Clarence and Roberta.

That moment has remained a constant reminder: do not give up—even when life is hard, even when obstacles appear.

It is a living testimony to God’s promise: we shall reap, if we faint not.

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Thanksgiving: A Balm for a Disappointing Year

In 2020, I wrote on Thanksgiving Day, “There’s no question that this has been a challenging year.” 2020 was tough. But, then, like every year, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s came around. I realized in a new and powerful way how helpful these days are to help us reset and find new hope and purpose for the year to come.

The first event of this triad is Thanksgiving. I will talk more about it in a moment, but note that this holiday helps us see the good without ignoring the bad. The second is Christmas. My sermon series in 2020 was “The Weary World Rejoices.” Christmas tells us that there is a source of joy that transcends our circumstances. The third event is New Year’s. The New Year gives us a fresh start. How good it was to get 2020 behind us and move into 2021 Continue reading “Thanksgiving: A Balm for a Disappointing Year”

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How Shall I Live? I Can’t Solve the Issues of Our Time

That’s the question that Ralph Waldo Emerson posed in his book, The Conduct of Life. He wrote, “The question of the times resolved itself into a practical question of the conduct of life. How shall I live? We are incompetent to solve the times” (943, Note: These quotes are taken from Emerson: Essays and Lectures. You can read this book online here.). And what was his answer? That we are to do good, to make a contribution.

The Goal
Emerson believed that we all had an obligation not merely to do something good for ourselves but to do something that would make a significant difference in the world. “Every man is a consumer, and ought to be a producer. He fails to make his place good in the world, unless he not only pays his debt, but also adds something to the common wealth” (989). Each person must increase his talents not merely bury the one they have in the ground.

The Obstacles
In seeking to do good, there are numerous obstacles. There is fate. Fate is any natural limit we encounter. In includes everything from the fact that we live on earth to the fact that we have five fingers. Everything that defines us limits us. Fate inevitably brings suffering and death.

These limitations are not an unmitigated evil. “In front of these sinister facts, the first lesson of history is the good of evil. Good is a good doctor, but Bad is sometimes a better” (1083). “The frost which kills the harvest of a year, saves the harvests of a century, by destroying the weevil or the locust” (1084). It is these challenges that give us opportunity to rise to greater heights. “We acquire the strength we have overcome. Without war, no soldier, without enemies, no hero” (1084). Steam always seemed to cause a problem by lifting houses and pots. Here was what Watt and Fulton saw: “Could he lift pots and roofs and houses so handily? He was the workman they were in search of” (959). Continue reading “How Shall I Live? I Can’t Solve the Issues of Our Time”

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Expect Opposition

In every good endeavor, expect opposition.

As soon as we get a vision for something good, our tendency is to think, “I’ve got the vision! It’ll be easy!” I want to lose weight, so I can do it. I want to become a writer, so I can do it. I want to make the basketball team, so I can do it.

Then, we crash. We give up. Why? We face opposition.

Recently, I listened to a podcast with author Steven Pressfield. He wrote a book called The Warrior Ethos. In the podcast he explains that the warrior ethos is one that applies to all of life. He noticed this when he started to write. He realized that there was opposition–laziness, distractions, perfectionism, worry, people. Within and without, life was battling against him to keep him from writing. Like a warrior, he needed to go to battle against that opposition.

Opposition to the good comes primarily from three places: the world, the people around us, and ourselves.

The world system seems to oppose us. It’s almost like it conspires to keep us from doing good. We have good plans, but things keep happening that derail them. We want to save money, but things keep breaking down. We want to devote ourselves to writing, but urgent demands keep getting in the way. The world presents us to us innumerable alluring things to lure us away from the good that we would do.

Other people also oppose us. Sometimes, they do it deliberately. They say, “You can’t do that!” “That’s a waste of time,” or “You’ll never amount to anything.” Sometimes opposition is not deliberate. People just have their own agendas, and they subconsciously apply emotional pressure to get us on their agenda.

The world and people would not be nearly so powerful, though, if it did not have an ally within our own hearts. We are our own greatest opposition. We were excited about doing something, but now we’re not as excited. We think we should wait until we feel more “in the spirit” to do something. We see things around us that excite us more in the moment. We think we need more rest than we do. We waste our energy on fruitless things. We just get lazy. The list goes on and on. This is just opposition.

I think here of exercise. Food and diet advice comes and goes, but if there is one thing that doctors are sure of, it is that regular exercise will help us. We all know this. So, why don’t we do it? Opposition, mostly from within ourselves. When it comes to exercise, there is rarely a time that you really feel like doing it, especially tough exercise. You just have to do it. It’s one of those touchstones of discipline in our lives.

In the Christian faith, God gives us great and precious promises to enable us to live a whole, virtuous, and good life that reflects His glory. He forgives all our sins and sets us on a new path. We don’t have to live as slaves to our lust or our pride or our anger anymore. This is good news. When people hear it, they like it.

But one thing the Bible also teaches us is: expect opposition. It drills this into our heads, but the moment we as Christians face opposition, what do we do? We cry out and complain as if God had never warned us about this! We don’t expect opposition. We always seem surprised by it.

When it comes to doing that which is good, we should expect opposition.

That’s a hard truth, but a helpful one. If we can learn to say in every good endeavor, “there will be opposition,” then we can prepare. We can plan. We can engage. Expecting it, we won’t be as discouraged when we encounter it. Additionally, when we take opposition seriously, we have the opportunity to consider the resources we have to stand up against it.

On the other hand, if we think that there won’t be opposition, then we will get discouraged the moment we encounter it. We will take it as some sort of sign that things are amiss and abandon the endeavor.

To steel ourselves to do what is good, expect opposition!

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Doing All the Good We Can

Why did God put us on this green earth? To do all the good that we can possibly do.

What else could our purpose be? What else would we want to do? Get as much wealth as possible? Travel as many places as possible? Make it to retirement? Reproduce? Play as many video games as possible?

To me, it seems self-evident that we are here to do as much good as we can possibly do. So, why don’t we live that way? Because fulfilling our potential to do good takes time and effort, and a lot of our body and brain chemistry tells us to enjoy the thing that is most pleasurable in the moment. The emotion of what we should do in the moment often contradicts our long-term purpose.

So, how do we overcome the sluggishness of our body and brain and get out of the ruts that would keep us from fulfilling our potential?

We need to start by getting clarity on the fact that we want to do as much good as possible. This is not our default. We have to get a vision for it. We have to take it in deeply.

Once we do, we have a direction. But then, how do we do the most good we can possibly do?

Here’s my suggestion for doing as much good as possible: focus on yourself, focus on others, focus on a bigger vision, and recognize it takes time. This list is not necessarily chronological. They can and should overlap, but all four need to be present in order for us to do all the good that we can possibly do.

First, Focus on Yourself
It’s somewhat ironic that you have to focus on yourself in order to do as much good as possible, but it’s true. Why? Because whatever you do, you have to use your self as the tool. If that tool is not in good condition, you won’t be able to do much effectively.

Certainly, there are wrong ways to focus on yourself. It is wrong to focus on yourself if it means fulfilling whatever desires you have in the moment, making yourself as comfortable as possible in the moment, and reacting to whatever anyone does in the moment. In this sense, we have to die to ourselves in order to live.

The right way to focus on ourselves is seeking to become the human being that God made us to be: to become as healthy, strong, virtuous, and skilled as we can be.

Focusing on ourselves means attending to our relationship with God. Christianity offers to us unparalleled and often unused resources to ground our sense of self in a God who loves us and cares for us. The death and resurrection of Christ provide a way to put the guilt of the past in the past and empower us for the new life of the future. Without these resources, we will look for love, acceptance, security, and power in all the wrong places. Our relationship with God comes first. The more we are rooted in God’s love and grace, the more we have to give to the world around us.

Second, we become more loving people. We stop reacting to what everyone around us does and learn to relate to others with the virtues of patience, kindness, compassion, and wisdom. The more loving we are, the more good we have to give to the people around us.

Third, we develop our ability to work and serve. This includes health and physical exercise, the development of our gifts, time management, knowledge, etc. The more of these abilities we have, the more we have to give for the good of the world around us.

Fourth, we embrace enjoying God’s creation. We learn to experience the good things around us. This means more than just going outside and looking around (though that’s a good idea!). It also means developing our capacity for enjoyment of creation and culture. For example, you can only experience the joy of what your body can do in exercise by exercising it. You can only enjoy the potential of music by training you ear or hands to experience it better. The more we can really enjoy the world God has created, the more we have to give for the good of the world around us.

Focus on Others
The next aspect of doing good is to focus on others. We don’t want to just do good for ourselves. We want to do good to all people, especially the household of faith (Gal. 6:10).

This means we start to think about bringing those things we have developed in ourselves to other people. We think about how to promote a relationship with God to those around us. We reach out to those who need to experience a loving touch. We start to use our skills to the benefit of others. We take our enjoyment of the world and share it with others.

Think about an ability to cook and plan a good meal. You can do this for yourself and get joy out of it. You can also do it to throw a party for your friends. Then, you are doing good to others as well as to yourself. When you go further to throw a party for those who are lonely or who need connection, then you are doing more good. That is what it means to focus on others.

Focus on a Bigger Vision
But don’t just get caught up in the day to day doing of good. Think long-term. Think of what you could really accomplish if you worked at it over a long period of time (I owe some of my clarity on this to Jordan Peterson, as you can read in my article here).

Think about promoting a relationship with God. You can do this in a very simple way with those whom you meet day by day. If this is your passion, though, you may want to develop this much further. You will want to understand the people among whom you want to promote God’s grace. You will want to understand the Bible a lot better and understand how people have reflected on the Bible through the ages. You will want to be a better communicator. You will want to learn what platform you can use to promote a relationship with God. You will want learn to be a better friend so you can connect with people because that is generally the best context for helping people connect with God. All these things take time.

To fulfill our potential to do good, it takes a lot of preparation and effort. To do that requires a bigger vision, a long-term vision, of what God and will do through us and in us.

Recognize It Takes Time
It is important to remember that doing all the good that we can do will take time. We have to develop and grow as an individuals. It will involve following some dead ends and making mistakes. It will involve hard work and often suffering.

Think of a friendship. We can’t just build a friendship in one day. It takes time to get used to each other, to walk through difficulties together, and to work through differences. At the end of a long period of time, we can have really strong friendships. These friendship are a tremendous good and service for both friends. However, it takes a lot of time to build these lasting friendships.

Like relationships, developing the skills and building the organizations to do greater good take time. However, if we keep planting seeds and keep the vision for doing good in front of us, we can, by God’s grace, make a lot of progress.

And what would be a better investment of our time? What better could we say at the end of our lives than that we have done all the good that we could do?

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