Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
2 Timothy 2:3. KJV
Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. NASB
Take with me your share of hardship [passing through the difficulties which you are called to endure], like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. AMP
When the going gets rough, take it on the chin with the rest of us, the way Jesus did. A soldier on duty doesn’t get caught up in making deals at the marketplace. He concentrates on carrying out orders. MESSAGE
The Bible, as the living Word of God, was our primary focus when David and I were born again. Our church was in the midst of a revival, with signs and wonders continually confirming the Word. We learned God’s promises, which enabled us to become overcomers through Jesus Christ.
Encouraged and taught to believe in God through these promises, I began to develop a mindset that assumed God had promised me a life without turmoil, pain, or suffering. My faith was directed toward avoiding anything that looked hard or painful. I leaned on scriptures such as, “No evil shall befall me,” “No plague shall come near my dwelling,” and “My God supplies all my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
And all of these scriptures are true—but there is always a fuller application to them.
In other words, God doesn’t necessarily define evilthe way I do. God always supplies all my needs; I may simply expect a different supply than what God knows I need. Sickness is part of this world’s curse, and when my body is not properly cared for, it becomes vulnerable. None of these circumstances mean that God is absent, that He approves of them, or that He is not actively working deliverance for me.
We cannot read the Bible and escape the truth that Jesus and the apostles lived lives marked by adversity and persecution. Paul records a litany of hardships and life-threatening conditions in his letters, reminding us that in this world we will face temptation and trial. Yet in the midst of it all, Paul writes that nothing can separate us from the love of God. He tells us that no temptation has overtaken us except what is common to man, and that God—by His mercy and grace—is faithful to make a way of escape. Therefore, endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
We are called to lift our eyes to the One who is everything we need in our moments of adversity. To endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ is a command for every believer—to remain steadfast in confidence and trust in God. Exhorted to have faith in God, we are strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, knowing and believing that He is at work, perfecting everything that concerns us.
Enduring hardness emphasizes our need to look beyond the things of this world and remember that we are here to please Him. Paul continues his metaphor, explaining that no soldier becomes entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.
We strive for the crown that is laid up for us in heaven; therefore, we endure hardness as a good soldier, looking unto Jesus who, for the joy set before Him, endured.