Spoiler Alert

I’m an avid reader. I love, love, love books: classics, mystery, historical fiction—I can’t even pick a favorite category. As much as I love to read, sometimes I’ll start a book, and somewhere along the way, I lose my motivation to continue reading it. Maybe I’m not invested enough in the characters or maybe it’s the storyline. Either way, sometimes I’m just not excited to sit down and read. I get stuck in a reading rut.

Whenever this happens, my trick to get out of my reading rut is to flip to the end of the book. I don’t ever read the whole ending, just usually a sentence or two. I’m not trying to spoil the ending for myself, I just want to give myself enough of a sneak peek to get myself re-engaged with the story. By getting just a tiny glimpse of the ending, I find my motivation to start reading again to get the full story.

In Mark chapter 13, while on the Mount of Olives, Jesus prophesies to Peter, James, John, and Andrew about the end times. He mentions false prophets, wars, earthquakes, and famines. He tells them that His followers will be arrested and will stand trial. He continues in verses 12-13:

“A brother will betray his brother to death, a father will betray his own child, and children will rebel against their parents and cause them to be killed. And everyone will hate you because you are my followers.” (NLT)

Throughout Scripture, we are warned that we will face difficulties as followers of Christ. But the ones Jesus lists in Mark chapter 13 might be enough to give us pause. Wars? Natural disasters? Famines? Family betrayals? Hatred? Death? Those are some pretty severe trials that are mentioned! It might not sound like this is a story that we’d want to continue reading, let alone be a part of.

Sometimes when life begins to feel overwhelming, I feel stuck in a rut. Seeing the things going on in the world today can be discouraging. But once again, my trick is to read the end of the story.

Because we have God’s Word, we know that we will not have to walk through trials with uncertainty. The end of this story has already been written! And we can read how the story ends to encourage ourselves to keep going.

Jesus encourages the disciples in Mark 13:13, “But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”

Throughout the trials, we can remember that God has promised salvation and eternal life with Him to those who put their faith in Jesus. We also find this promise in James 1:12:

God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

Spoiler alert! The battle has already been won! The end is already written. God has promised us that throughout the difficulties we will face in this life, including the ones Jesus warns us of in Mark 13, victory is ours through Jesus Christ. (Romans 8:37)

That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! (2 Corinthians 4:16-17)

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Scripture is quoted from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.