The Gift of Endurance

By Betab G Zena

It is often times challenging to understand why it is that we face many trials in our lives, especially as teens and young adults in this generation. The reason for patient and Godly endurance can seem senseless, due to the increased visibility of the unjust in our world. My inspiration for writing ‘The Gift of Endurance’ came from this exact perception I obtained, at a time when I myself had to overcome these trials. Some that were afflicted by others and some that I inflicted upon myself, mainly due to the lack of mentorship and guidance that was made available to me in that time. However, my desire is not to eradicate pain and suffering but to ensure that your pain and suffering has an everlasting value as you endure for righteousness sake and never as a result of your failures.

“Betab does an amazing job of telling her own vulnerable story and pulling out profound truths from the Word of God on how to overcome with endurance. Such helpful insight into The Lord’s promises for our lives. Read this book for inspiration and revelation!” - Josh and Meg Cooke-Campus Pastors Freedom Church

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Aug 14, 2019
• ISBN: 9781728391342

Book preview

2019 Betab G Zena. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 08/13/2019

ISBN: 978-1-7283-9131-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-7283-9130-4 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-7283-9134-2 (e)

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Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the Holy Bible, King James Version (Authorized Version). First published in 1611. Quoted from the KJV Classic Reference Bible, Copyright © 1983 by The Zondervan Corporation.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Website

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what He is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will give fruit from the tree of life in the paradise of God.

—Revelation 2:7 (NLT)

CONTENTS

Foreword

Author Description

Inspiration

Chapter 1 Growth through Trials—My Testimony

Chapter 2 Desire to Change

Chapter 3 The Gift of Endurance

Chapter 4 Repentance

Chapter 5 The Cave

Chapter 6 The Fruits of the Spirit

Chapter 7 Faithful Friend

Chapter 8 Procrastination

Chapter 9 The Kingdom Character

Conclusion

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FOREWORD

In African context of Ethiopia, children are generally raised by a whole community within a framework of values of trust, love, discipline and obedience. It is in such a cultural background that Betab begins her narrative, and immediately, one begins to sense that something is seriously wrong in this almost idyllic scenario. Instead of a child experiencing the protection and care of a loving community, there is the betrayal of trust, and the abandonment of those who so desperately need the care and love of the family. In ‘The Gift of Endurance’, it is quite clear to see that the devil seems to have used this trust to entrap or ensnare young children for their selfish and unacceptable desires.

This is certainly a wake-up call that Betab is making for the church and parents both in Africa and the West.

The use of the most vulnerable of society, the most disadvantaged and weak, as sources of pleasure and for immediate gratification is alas something not only confined to society but to the church as well. There is no doubt that the lacking of a system to check out the suitability of those looking after Sunday school children, those caring for vulnerable people who come to church, include some people with predatory and undesirable habits. If all those who come in contact with children and vulnerable people in African churches were to be vetted or approved, would this not save many children from abuse?

It is of course important to point out that ‘The Gift of Endurance’ is not only about the quiet suffering of the author of this book. There is also the question about how a third culture child begins to survive in a cultural environment different from the one they grew up in or the one their parents originally came from. The reality is that these third culture children experience trials and challenges completely alien to their peers. Children self-harm for various reasons but self-harm is indicative of an underlying problem the young person might be facing. Endurance is the overarching theme of this book and the manner in which Betab’s experiences of trials from her engagement with the Bible also reveals her perception of God and her trust in Jesus. ‘Hope’ for a better tomorrow is what made Betab decide not to end her life and consequently usher her into ‘seeing today’s light’.

The Gift of Endurance includes vital survival tips helping young people to deal with the appeal of a technological and media consumer age. For example, the need to meditate before using social media is insightful for it draws attention to the dangers one faces when engaging in these platforms. The tip of offering bible based advices are another that emphasises a wholesome attitude to Scripture. Unlike most people who would rather accept their unwelcome situation, Betab suggests that the desire to change is an essential first step of overcoming trials. This is the bedrock for endurance, and when this desire is firmly rooted in a healthy relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, then surely the narrative of most of young people will be stories of victory, as ‘The Gift of Endurance’ reveals.

Reverend Hirpo Kumbi,

Author; Dean of Operations, ForMission College

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AUTHOR DESCRIPTION

Betab Zena was born in the capital city of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa in August 1995.

When I began to have visions of writing a book, I was 14 years old, and I attempted to write my first book at the age of 15. At the time, I had many dreams of things that were supernatural. Sometimes my dreams would have episodes; one dream would continue the following evening and the evening after that. I also had what some would call déjà vu, in which I would dream about something before it happened in real life. Some may say this is coincidence, but for me, it was God’s way of preparing me for my tomorrow. What I had not realised then was that God was placing certain gifts and desires in my heart from an early age to prepare me for my purpose today and the rest of my days. God has been so faithful to me throughout my life, regardless of my unfaithfulness to Him. Therefore, when I began to have wisdom through the Spirit in my personal walk of life, about endurance, I knew that I must not procrastinate but press forward to share what God had placed in my heart and soul with the youth of today.

Endurance began with Jesus at the cross, leading to the gift of eternal life. However, in order to receive this gift, we must also endure until the end, as the Bible teaches. Therefore, this book will guide you to understand the importance of and the requirements for endurance.

The Bible speaks of endurance many times in the book of Revelation, and I believe that it was because of its essential features required for the life in the modern and the coming generations. In order to endure, we must be able to love, fight, forgive, and be willing to ask the Father for spiritual strength through persistent prayers. At this time of emotional chaos in a world full of powers and principalities of the evil one, it is more crucial than ever that we continue to fight for our faith in order to reap the heavenly kingdom. The wisdom of endurance helps us do this, by dying to ourselves and placing our focus on the one true God, Jesus Christ, who is the Lamb upon the throne.

Everything you will read in this book has come from God’s word and my testimony revealing the truth of His existence and power in our daily lives. Therefore, all the glory goes to Him, for "all things are from Him, through Him, and for Him".

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INSPIRATION

It is oftentimes challenging to understand why we face many trials in our lives, especially as teens and young adults in this generation. The reason for patient and Godly endurance can seem senseless due to the increased visibility of the unjust in our world. My inspiration for writing The Gift of Endurance came from this exact perception I obtained, at a time when I had to overcome some of these trials. Some that were inflicted by others, and some I inflicted upon myself, mainly due to a lack of mentorship and guidance available to me in that time. However, my desire is not to eradicate pain and suffering but to ensure that your pain and suffering has an everlasting value as you endure for righteousness’ sake and never as a result of your failures.

This book was written in the hope that the generational curse of ignorant disobedience and heartache can stop here and that you, as the next generation, will receive all that you are able to receive from my testimony, by the grace of God, to climb higher into the knowledge and presence of Him.

Therefore, I dedicate this book to my younger brother and sister in Christ, whose lives and testimonies inspired me to rise up and be the difference I needed to see.

To Amanuel and Sabela.

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CHAPTER 1

GROWTH THROUGH TRIALS—MY TESTIMONY

So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honour on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

—1 Peter 1:6–7

I can’t think of a better way to describe my life than as a life of growth through trials.

Trials are inevitable in our lives. Trials serve as either the purification of our souls or the consequences of our sins. Either way, trials are the Lord’s way of testing our faith in order to prepare us for our ultimate destinations. This is because our faith must be refined by tests, just as gold is refined by fire. So don’t look for the exit when entering a season of trials. Rather, look for the guidance of God and the pathway that leads to growth through the process. However, it is important for you to know that you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you (1 Peter 2:20). Therefore, always look forward to being refined by the trials you face for doing what is right. It may have a lasting effect on your life.

I grew up in a Christian home in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where Sunday school was the most exciting part of our weekends. We enjoyed the unity of others while listening to stories about Moses and the Egyptian King, David and Goliath, Jesus and His miracles, and so much more. It was almost like going to a comic book store, except the characters were actually real and existed to reveal the glory of God to humankind. You can see how exciting that could have been for a child. However, no matter how many times we heard these miraculous stories, we could never really understand what they meant or how we were supposed to interpret them in our own lives, except, of course, to love others and share what we have. But for a child growing up in such a time as this, those stories simply weren’t enough to reveal to us the extent of the wickedness of humankind. I remember a time in my childhood when I experienced things that did not make sense to me. I was introduced to relations that were beyond my capacity to understand.

I realised that whatever I was going through was wrong because they always told me not to tell anyone else—I just didn’t know why. I was asked to keep a secret I did not understand. It puzzled me, and I was confused for such a long time. As a child, I was asked to do things by men whom I looked up to, men who were close to the family and were supposed to protect me, men who abused my innocence and inability to understand what was happening as a way of acting out their frustrations while hiding their secrets.

It was unbearable. For several years, it happened so consistently that it began to feel normal. I saw it as an act of obedience towards my elders, as they asked me to do things that disturbed me. Every time it occurred, I would run outside the house, sit on the steps, and look up at the sky, waiting to be met by a presence who gave me comfort in my darkest days. I was warned not to tell another soul what had happened to me, so I figured I would talk to the one they couldn’t see: God. The only thing that kept me sane and maintained my joy as a child was God.

Growing up in Sunday school meant that I firmly believed God had heard my prayers, so I was certain of His presence in my life. In times when it was too hard to hold on to what I felt, my faith allowed me to have a friend who I could tell everything to