In Mark 13:1-36, Jesus forewarns that there will be wars, earthquakes, and famines. There will be distress, betrayal, and dissention within families but then there will be a time when the Son of man begins to reign so keep on guard.

Use this forewarning to prepare for the future with endurance because we will not be surprised but ready. The Holy Spirit will direct our response with action so we will make it through and receive the reward.

If we pay attention to the reward rather than hard times, we can endure the difficulty because our mind will constantly be at work finding a solution and our hearts will act on these solutions until there is accomplishment. 

So be persistent even when it is hard to be optimistic. Knowledge of what God promises gives hope and we can go through each day’s activities with joyful awareness of God’s ability to bring a victorious finish.

Lord, we put our total focus on You today because with You there is power to overcome the difficulties we face. Today, we may face distractions but we can remain optimistic because You promise a reward if we maintain our attention on You . We may have difficulty but with You there is a solution to our struggles and we have endurance to finish victoriously. Amen.