When we give our lives to Christ, an epic journey begins in which there are many high points, where our mouths are filled with laughter. But there may be valleys as well, in which our eyes are filled with tears. Becoming a Christian does not mean that we will not have challenges. Indeed, the Christian life is not devoid of challenges and hardships, but they are accompanied by many miracles and break throughs. We therefore need to set our sails for the long haul and understand that our lives will not always be plain sailing. There will be storms in which the waves are high and the winds strong. This is why we need to have a persevering heart, a heart that says “I will never quit. I will not be a fair-weather Christian. I will commit myself to the long haul, whatever storms may come.” The good news is that God promises that He will give us Heavenly power in this journey, not the endurance of gritted teeth, but the glory-strength of heaven. This gives us joy even in our sufferings and helps us to endure the unendurable. Let us pray to God for His glory-strength today. — Colossians 1:10-11