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  ENDURING HARDSHIP
  by A.W. Tozer
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Summary: The sermon emphasizes the importance of enduring hardship and
persevering in our faith, even in the face of adversity, and warns
against the danger of numbness and leveling off in our spiritual walk.

Topics: "Endurance", "Faithfulness in Trials"
Scripture References: Romans 5:3-5, 2 Corinthians 4:17, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, Philippians 1:29, 1 Thessalonians 3:3, 2 Timothy 1:7, 2 Timothy 2:3, Hebrews 12:1-2, James 1:2-4, 1 Peter 4:12-13

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DESCRIPTION
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A.W. Tozer emphasizes the importance of enduring hardship in the
Christian faith, drawing from Paul's encouragement to Timothy to not be
ashamed of the cross and to embrace the afflictions that come with the
gospel. He highlights the danger of becoming numb to suffering and the
temptation to recoil from the challenges of a faithful life. Tozer
reminds us that God has not given us a spirit of fear, urging believers
to stand firm like good soldiers of Christ Jesus. He reflects on
Timothy's strong Christian upbringing and the need for perseverance
despite the pressures and monotony of faithfulness. Ultimately, Tozer
calls for resilience in the face of trials, encouraging believers to
remain steadfast in their commitment to Christ.

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CONTENT
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It is possible to be beaten until you are numb. You can smile and praise
the Lord and say, "Jesus, I my cross have taken," for a while. But then
you are slowly beaten until you are numb, and you get into a sort of a
rut where you cannot fight back. Timothy had been with Paul a long time,
and Paul had been in so much trouble so much of the time. Timothy was
tagging along behind in the same trouble, and Paul had noticed a little
temptation to be ashamed of the cross. Essentially, Paul was saying,
"Don"t be ashamed of the cross.

Don"t shrink from the affliction of the gospel.

God has not given us the spirit of fear." Then in Second Timothy 2:3
Paul said, "Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ
Jesus." It is as though he might have detected in the young man a little
temptation to recoil a bit from the hard life he was called into. Paul
knew that Timothy was basically a sound man. He knew Timothy had been
reared in a Christian home. He mentioned Timothy"s grandmother, Lois,
and his mother, Eunice. The grandmother and mother were both Christians,
and good ones. Young Timothy had learned and become a Christian early in
life. Paul knew that he was basically sound.

But Paul was afraid that the pressure of things and the boredom of
always being in the minority might put Timothy in danger of leveling
off.

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/aw-tozer/enduring-hardship/
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