Charity Endureth All Things: Defining "Endure"

[Anonymous]

At the beginning of the year, when I wrote my New Year’s Resolution post, I realized that this month’s resolution would difficult to define properly – at least, to define in such a way that I believed would be both practical and acceptable to me personally. This was because I do NOT want to pray for or request additional things to “endure” in my life, since, as one of my favorite scriptures says in Matthew 6:34:

Quote:

Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

I have enough things to “endure” that I don’t need more – and, yet, 1 Corinthians 13:7 does say that charity “endureth all things”.

For this initial post, I want to share just one thing that hit me as I contemplated this dilemma:

1) When I looked at the various definitions of “endure”, one in particular caught my eye – particularly as it relates to the idea of charity enduring all things. It was, quite simply:

Quote:

to continue to exist or last

What hit me in this definition is that there is not hint of negativity or “struggle” or suffering inherent in or necessary to continuing to exist or last. In other words, “endureth all things” does not have to be about increased pain or heavier burdens. It can be nothing more than the idea expresed in Pslams 119:112:

Quote:

I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes alway, even unto the end.

Translated into the context of my New Year’s Resolution, it would read:

Quote:

I have inclined mine heart to act in the ways outlined in the previous descriptions of charity alway (to internalize charity so that it will become a “natural” part of my very character), even unto the end.

In other words, perhaps the idea of charity enduring all things is more of a qualitative, longitudinal statement than it is a quantitative measurement. Perhaps it relates more to the statment that “God is love” – and the idea that we should strive to emulate and become like Him – than to the idea that the amount of our suffering is more important than how we deal with whatever we are given to endure. Perhaps enduring ALL things inlcudes blessings and things for which we naturally are grateful – since they also can change us and take us away from charity, if we allow them to do so. Most importantly, perhaps, is the idea that there is an element of conscious choice in this type of character development – that I can choose to “incline my heart” to react in a charitable way.

I have come to believe that “enduring more things” (as an initial step toward enduring all things) is a perfect concluding resolution for this year.

[Anonymous]

Well, my small brain has a hard time reallly following what you are talking about to be honest. Normally, I would just ignore this post, but since I HAVE to continue on “enduring” the LDS church and culture, for my wife’s and kids sake, I will indulge your post.

I think this one sentence means something to me – the most to me anyway, personally…

Old-Timer wrote:

What hit me in this definition is that there is not hint of negativity or “struggle” or suffering inherent in or necessary to continuing to exist or last. In other words, “endureth all things” does not have to be about increased pain or heavier burdens.

I honest to god feel like my entire membership in this church is nothing more than an act of charity. It really means NOTHING to me personally. NOTHING. If anything, it has been a burden. it does mean something to my wife and kids, and some some folks in the community. I want to be LDS, and I want to get to the point where my enduring becomes just existing – rather than an experience about an “increase in pain or heavy burden.” This is my goal. I have failed miserably as of today. I hope and hope and hope and pray and pray and pray that our people and leadership will change – and I just haven’t seen it. I want to hope that the CHI training is a step in the right direction – but…. I’m just burn out of hope right now. Perhaps I can relight that fire again someday.

Anyway – one day at a time. right.

[Anonymous]

cwald, the thought that struck me as I read your comment was to ask you to re-read Elder Wirthlin’s “Concern for the One”.

I don’t know if it will help at your local level at all (or if you have the energy to address it at that level), but at least you will know that an apostle was speaking very directly about YOU, as an individual, when he spoke from the pulpit of General Conference. His description of those who leave includes you in words that sound almost exactly like your comment here.

[Anonymous]

Yes, very good article. I pulled it — I think I will use it tomorrow in my youth sunday class.

I do have to chuckle that you referred it to me personally. According to EW talk, there are three reasons one might be lost from the church. 1. They have strayed because they are different, think, believe and act different – been offended. 2. They are lost because they are weary. Specifically weary from church callings. 3. They are lost because they have “strayed” in the sense that they disagree with the doctrine and no longer live it.

If one of these issues is enough to consider one “lost” from the church, well, Ray – guess what…. bad news for me….

[Anonymous]

😆 😆 😆

[Anonymous]

Ray, I have come to a similar understanding of the word “endure.”

Quote:

Roy wrote:

Prior to reading “Believing Christ,” I had been struggling with the visualization of “enduring to the end” as a perpetual handcart journey. Where only if I pulled until I literally fell over dead would I measure up. ….(Snip)….

I could now interpret that to “endure in faith on his name to the end” (D&C 20:29-30) is an exercise in maintaining a “broken heart and a contrite spirit.” This was much easier for me to swallow as my heart was never in question, just my fortitude.

If “to endure” can mean “to remain,” the then I can paraphrase all the “endure to the end” verses as saying:

“Come what may- Remain hopeful, remain with faith, remain with love.”

And that, for me, has made all the difference.

[Anonymous]

I like that rewording, Roy.

cwald, part of the construction of this post came as a result of the idea among many people (not just Mormons, but pretty much every group that believes in an afterlife with reward of some kind) that somehow the amount of one’s suffering is an indication of his righteousness – kind of like seeing Job or Jesus or Joseph as the ultimate righteous example and praying for more things to endure in order to prove one’s own righteousness. However, I’ve seen too many people who don’t struggle with obvious and copious trials who nevertheless were incredibly good, loving, humble, righteous people – and too many people who were cancered and cancurred by their suffering – to accept such a view. I’ve also seen prosperity and relative lack of suffering accompanied by great humility, service and righteousness – and such relative ease create real jerks.

I don’t think it’s the AMOUNT of one’s suffering that matters but rather the effect that suffering has on one’s character – how it affects who the person becomes. If suffering chases away charity, it is not a good thing; if charity endures (or even is strengthened) throughout suffering, it can be a growth catalyst. The “subject” in this sentence is “charity” – NOT “suffering”. In fact, “suffering” isn’t an explicit part of the passage, at all.

It’s not the things we endure (including any suffering) that is key in this construct; it’s the charity that is the central focus – and that jumped out at me as I thought about this post and my resolution.

Perhaps I should have entitles this post, “Charity Endureth All Things: Re-Defining ‘Endure'”.

[Author]

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