Endure...Day 9 of 31 Days of Creating with Meaning

We sang this song in church today.  Nobody knew the song.  It must not be one of the more popular hymns.  But the words are comforting and powerful all at the same time...

I will not doubt, I will not fear;
God’s love and strength are always near.
His promised gift helps me to find
An inner strength and peace of mind.
I give the Father willingly
My trust, my prayers, humility.
His Spirit guides; his love assures
That fear departs when faith endures.

When Faith Endures Hymn #128

On the same note, the word endure is not one of the more popular words for me.  It sounds depressing.  It sounds like drudgery.  It sounds like nothing I want to do.  But I read this about the root of the word "endure":

The word endure comes from two Latin roots. The prefix en means “within.” The remainder comes from the verb durare, which means “to be firm or solid.” Thus, to endure means “to become firm within yourself.”

That meaning carries into the original languages of the Bible. In the Hebrew language of the Old Testament, the root word ’aman means “to render firm” or “to be faithful, to trust.” It was often translated as “faithful,” but never as “faith” alone. ’Aman meant more than faith. It was not a passive term; it meant “a firm resolve to be faithful.” ’Aman was also the Hebrew root for words that were translated into related terms, such as “verified,” “believe,” “long continuance,” “assurance,” “establish(ed),” “sure,” “trust,” “steadfast,” “stand fast,” and others.

In the Greek language of the New Testament, the verb hupoméno was used. It means “to remain,” “stay,” or “continue.” Hupo (or hypo) means “under,” as in hypodermic (“under the skin”) or hypothermia (“low temperature”). “To endure” connotes a commitment within one’s soul.

So if I look at ENDURE as "to become firm within my soul, having a resolve to be faithful and to trust, believe, and stand fast", the word endure becomes much more poetic, and much more doable.

Matthew 24:13 says:  But he that shall ^aendure unto the end, the same shall be saved.  

If you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God.   D&C 14:7. 

The Prophet Joseph Smith included this concept of endurance in the thirteenth article of faith: “We have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things.”

That's what I can do; HOPE to be able to endure all things.   


Brian is on the swim team.  Part of the training is swimming with drag, or something that is holding them back and making them work harder.  All of that hard work breaks them down and then builds the muscles back up.  It teaches them endurance and how to work past the point of exhaustion.


Does that sound familiar?  Isn't that what "endure" means, to work through whatever is holding us back and keeping us down?


I hope to be able to endure all things.  

ALL things.


I can do all things through ^aChrist which ^bstrengtheneth me.  Philippians 4:13