Ever had a time where one Scripture passage just keeps popping up all over for you?

This week, it has been 2 Timothy 2:1-5, “2 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ² And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. ³ Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. ⁴ No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. ⁵ And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. “

Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. (Notice that it is not in our own strength.) Teach others.

Then comes the hard part. Endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

The life of isolation, chronic illness, and disability is hard. We are to endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Wow.

I must admit that I like comfort and being comfortable, my comfort zone. Yet, a soldier doesn’t put that first. The soldier doesn’t entangle himself with the things of this world (comforts in my mind). Why? to please the One who has chosen us to be soldiers. Wow.

We have a great example. 1 Peter 2:21, “²¹ For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.”

Jesus suffered for us. We can follow in His steps and take suffering as a good soldier. He cares and has promised never to leave us or forsake us! (Hebrews 13:5b)

As 2 Timothy 2:1-5 have popped up a lot for me recently, I long more and more to be a good soldier for Him despite my circumstances! May we be soldiers who glorify Him!