When I was in 7th grade, my softball coach put me in as shortstop when I usually played 1st base. I hadn’t practiced for this position, I had no confidence in myself, and before the inning was even over, I was living my greatest fear—failure in front of everyone. Ball after ball came straight at me, and ball after ball slipped through my glove. My face burned with embarrassment. My chest ached with frustration. I begged the coach to pull me out, but he wouldn’t. (I think he saw potential in me that I couldn’t see in myself.)
Another inning came. More balls flew my way. More misses. Finally, my teenaged brain decided the best solution was to plop down in the middle of the field and give up. Looking back, it makes me laugh at how dramatic it was—but in the moment, quitting felt like the only option. Sure enough, the coach pulled me out and sent in another player. The pain of the moment ended, but the shadow of that decision followed me the rest of the season and beyond.
What I didn’t know then is that endurance isn’t built in cozy, predictable seasons. It grows in the gut-wrenching moments when your strength is gone, the tears won’t stop, and giving up feels easier than holding on. Yet when we cry out to God, He steps into the struggle and begins to transform our faith.
Why endurance matters
In our culture, we worship comfort and success. We avoid “hard.” We chase easy. Who wants to feel pain? And yet, you and I both know the ache of wanting to quit when life presses in. It’s universal.
Athletes understand this truth: without training, there is no victory. Muscles only strengthen under resistance. Lungs only expand under strain. And hearts only grow resilient when pushed to their limit.
Life is no different. We will face hardship.
The real question is:
How will we respond? Will we run toward God, or run from Him?
As believers, we are called to become like Christ in both conduct and character. And that kind of character is forged in the fire of suffering. Not when life feels easy, but when it feels impossibly heavy.
Endurance through lived experience
After my third child, I sank into postpartum depression so deep I wasn’t sure I’d ever find my way out. Each day felt endless, heavy, hopeless. But God provided help: meals from friends, childcare when I couldn’t manage, medical care when I needed it most. Six months later, I was finally beginning to recognize myself again. And in the process, I trusted Him a little more.
Years later, when my husband lost his job for the second time in three years, I remember whispering through tears, “God, I can’t do this again.” But He whispered back, “Yes, you can. I will hold your hand. Remember the last time? I provided for your family. My strength was made perfect in your weakness. I gave Jaime another job.”
So I took one more step. I didn’t quit. God enabled me to persevere.
And when we had to move for the fourth time in six years, leaving my middle child behind with friends for his senior year of high school, my heart broke in a storm of tears. But even then, I clung to God’s hand because I knew He could be trusted.
Each trial left its mark. Each hardship stretched my faith muscles. Each time I wanted to sit down and quit, God gave me just enough strength to rise again.
I learned that endurance doesn’t erase the pain, but it carries us through it.
How to stretch your “faith muscles”
- Go to God first. Pour out your heart to Him. Ask for wisdom, strength, perseverance, and deeper faith.
- Be honest with Him. Don’t polish your prayers. He already knows what you’re feeling, and He can handle your raw honesty.
- Spend time in His Word. The Bible is God’s love letter to you. Let His promises soak into your weary soul and remind you that you are never alone.
- Share with a trusted friend. Invite someone into the struggle. Ask them to stand with you and lift you up in prayer.
- Ask the growth question. “Lord, what do You want to teach me in this?”
- Repeat daily. Sometimes hourly, until your shaky legs steady and you find yourself running again.
“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)
God’s promise in suffering
We should expect suffering-not be shocked by it. This is how God grows our trust. He gives us the ability to persevere and promises to walk beside us every step of the way.
When hardship comes, it’s easy to believe the lie that God has abandoned us. But the truth is, trials are often the very place where His presence becomes most real. Endurance doesn’t mean we never stumble or doubt. It means we keep moving forward, even with shaky steps. And with every step, God proves Himself faithful.
Think about it: every time you’ve faced something you thought would break you, you’re still here. Not because of your own strength, but because the Lord carried you. That history with Him becomes the foundation for future trust. The more we remember His faithfulness, the braver we become in the middle of the storm.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
James 1:2–4
Yes, I still have days when I want to sit down in the middle of the field and quit. But those days are now the exception, not the rule. God has shown me the sweet fruit of perseverance: knowing Him more intimately and experiencing the steady power of His presence.
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends its roots by the stream. It will not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It will not worry in a time of drought, for it never fails to bear fruit.”
Jeremiah 17:7–8
Training for eternity
Endurance is like a muscle—it only strengthens under resistance. Our character, too, is shaped in hardship. If we want to grow into the Christlike character God calls us to, our faith must be tested.
“Not only that, but we also glory in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame.”
Romans 5:3–5
Trust doesn’t happen overnight. It grows from experiencing God’s faithfulness again and again. And He has promised He will never leave us or forsake us.
So, will you stay in the game and trust your Coach, even when it’s hard? He knows exactly what you’re capable of. He knows exactly what you need to become more like His Son.
Endurance may feel costly in the moment, but it is shaping you for eternity. And that is a prize worth running for.
If you would like to hear more on how you can experience God’s faithfulness while building your spiritual endurance during difficult seasons of motherhood, listen to the Spotify podcast below with Candace Nassar, MomQ founder, and her guest, author of the daily devotional, Goodness Gracious, Hannah Crews. In this inspiring interview, Hannah Crews opens up about her motherhood journey, highlighting the powerful roles of joy, resilience, and personal growth in parenting and everyday life. She offers practical, faith-based advice on choosing joy during life’s most difficult seasons.
