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Fortitude: strength, courage, endurance, grit

Jesus beautifully illustrates the virtue of fortitude, which is why I saved Matthew 26 for last. It’s a heart-wrenching and powerful piece of scripture that can’t be overlooked.

Jesus was weary unto death, and still he pressed on because of His love for the Father. He was sweating blood, He was crying just like any of us would, He was exceedingly sorrowful, and He was willing to bare the cross set before Him.

Moving forward through a difficult situation is never easy, but when we do so in faith we bring glory to God.

May we always be willing to not only pray, but to also accept God’s will in our lives. The words, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven,” are simple enough to recite, but living them out calls us to pick up our cross daily, and to exchange our plans for His.

You are loved by an almighty God,

Darlene Schacht
The Time-Warp Wife

P.S. Don’t forget to print the new coloring page below!

Pressing Toward the Mark – Philippians 3

Quieting Your Heart: Bible Study Journal – Virtue Edition (affil link)

When I look to Paul, I see a man of virtue. I see a man full of grit who exercised inner strength to win Christ.

He writes, “This one thing I do…”

This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 3:13-14

He teaches me focus. He reminds me to treasure the things of God more than this world. To press on. The key to a victorious life in Christ is a complete focus on Him. I’m not truly abandoned to Him unless I’m ready to abandon this world and everything in it.

We must be willing to take our mind off of this world, and take our heart out of this world.

The more we’re attached to this world and the things that are in it, the less peace we’ll find. For everything in this world is passing away. But if we’re leaning on Him, and if our minds are set on things above, and Paul was, we can’t be shaken, and we won’t be taken down.

Moses Lifts His Hands – Exodus 17

The first part of this chapter teaches me that, “God can open fountains for us where we least expect them.” (Matthew Henry, Concise Commentary). What seems impossible to me is always possible to God. He blesses us in unexpected and miraculous ways. If only we would trust Him.

The second part shows me the power of prayer, and the importance of persistence and endurance. As long as Moses held his hands up, the Israelites prevailed, but whenever he let them down they started to fade. What we see here is the church in action, as fellow believers support Moses’ hands.

As the body of Christ, we are strengthened when we are supporting each other and working together as one.

Not My Will But Thine Be Done – Matthew 26:36-56

Jesus beautifully illustrates the virtue of fortitude. He was weary unto death, and still he pressed on because of His love for the Father. When we pray, we can ask for God to remove a situation from our life, but should He choose to allow that situation to prevail, we must accept the commission before us with courage and strength.  Moving forward through a difficult situation is never easy, but when we do so in faith we bring glory to God.

May we always be willing to not only pray, but to also accept God’s will in our lives. The words, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven,” are simple enough to recite, but living them out calls us to pick up our cross daily, and to exchange our plans for His.

Click here to download and print today’s coloring page.