This past Saturday, I chose to do something out of the ordinary. I got up early—5:30 AM—and went to work out at the gym I regularly attend, Orange Theory Fitness. I usually have one-on-one meetings with a few men on Saturday mornings, but on this particular weekend day, none of the men I normally meet with were available, so I had a rare choice to make—sleep in, or do something else perhaps more constructive.

Now, I must say that sleeping in is no crime. In fact, my wife, Cynthia, was strongly encouraging me to take advantage of the break and just get some rest. But I know myself, and because of my daily rhythm week-on-week, driven by my pastoral duties and seminary study, I am up and needing to be doing something early these days. My internal alarm clock goes off at about 5 AM every day, it seems, and I am “up” even when I try not to be. So, sleeping in was not really an option.

I get up early most days and do schoolwork, but after a full week of translating Greek and writing papers, I was not at all in the mood to focus in that way on this particular Saturday. So, that meant I was left with choosing one of two directions: I could “catch up on the news,” which meant surf the web alone in my kitchen and read things that upset me, or I could choose the gym.

Again, I know myself, so the better option became pushing myself at the gym.  Well, it was the right call! I felt absolutely great coming home at seven, while it was still dark, having sweated hard for an hour being pushed by the floor coach. Rather than following a path leading to worry and a sense of helplessness reading about things I can do nothing about, I chose a path of perseverance.

I felt better about everything, in fact, even though none of the bad things pressing on our nation, state, city, church, family, and on me personally had changed. Is there a biblical lesson in my Saturday morning experience? I think so! It is this: you’ll never regret a righteous choice to persevere in faith, doing the right thing.

We get to make choices all the time and Scripture, of course, helps us make the right choices. These choices are important because “what” we do always has consequences, but they’re also important because they reflect “why” we do things. A right choice out of a lousy motivation doesn’t please the Lord.  

In 2 Timothy 4:7, Paul proves his lifelong perseverance in saying, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” This well-known and oft-quoted passage is quite significant in that Second Timothy was Paul’s last letter written before his martyrdom in A.D. 67. It is a deeply moving affirmation of his unwavering faith and unyielding love for the gospel of Jesus Christ when life got grim. Paul’s life is a treatise on choosing faith over fear, perseverance over paralysis (Galatians 1:4; Galatians 2:20; Philippians 1:21).

“I have fought the good fight” is so significant for believers in our current circumstances because it serves as a stark reminder that the Christian life is a struggle against evil—within ourselves and in the world (John 15:9; Romans 8:7; James 4:4). I need to remember Paul as I contemplate what is now one week away—a national election that could massively impact everything I hold dear. The fundamental conflicts of our political and culture war are really no different than at any time in history. Sin has sunk the world, and the gospel is the single answer for everyone who will hear and believe. Earlier in this same epistle, Paul reminded Timothy to “endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2 Timothy 2:3).

Without question, the apostle Paul was the consummate warrior, never quitting, never flagging in his zeal for the Lord (Philippians 3:14-15). He knew where lay the source of his strength (Philippians 4:13; 2 Corinthians 12:9). Paul also kept the main thing, the main thing, by staying focused on His calling to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. He never flinched or wavered on the mission Christ gave him. What began on the Damascus Road proved a life of hardship that (Acts 9:3) eventually took him across the ancient world on four missionary journeys. But, oh, how God used him! He witnessed Christ’s cross before Felix and Agrippa, the legates and officials of Rome (Acts 23:26; Acts 26:1). He contended with false teachers and false brethren within the church (2 Corinthians 11:13; Galatians 1:7; Galatians 2:4). He brought the gospel to the gentiles, and in so doing, he became the instrument that God chose him to be!

Simple perseverance is everything in the Christian life because circumstances will go up and down. Emotions will also go right along with the ups and downs, which means we must govern our feelings with both sound doctrine and reasoned faith. God promises that when we persevere like Paul, seeking the strength of the Holy Spirit and not relying on ourselves, we will ultimately see victory.

We will see the day when we can rest because our mission is indeed, and in fact, complete. Whether combat, sporting competitions, career, parenting, school, or ministry, we see a trajectory to things. There will be either success or failure in the end, but there will be an end. It can be hard to see the end when we are in the throes of the storm, as it were. But we should all remember there will come a day when it is over, and we hope to take comfort on that day in knowing we fought, like Paul, and did not waiver.

But here is one more amazing thing about doing right in faith, about persevering. There are rewards along the way! We can experience supernatural peace and experience heavenly joy in truth ministry. We can share incredible communion with eternal God in prayer. We can bask in the privilege of serving Christ full time, knowing the fruit of our labors is eternal. We can give bring glory to God in obedience, and in so doing, realize that, as John Piper says, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.”

James 1:2–4, in a brilliant economy of words, quite elegantly sums up everything I just took  a bunch more words to say:

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

Choose well this coming stressful week, Christians! The election will be what it will be. No matter what God, in His sovereignty, brings, you can be noble in it. Keep fighting the good fight of faith!