Fortitudine vincimus – (by endurance we conquer)

"Men wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages. Bitter cold. Long months of complete darkness. Constant danger. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in case of success. -Ernest Shackleton."

Something I noted as interesting, when I read about Shackleton's incredible voyage, on The Endurance was not the test of will they fought through losing their ship to the crushing ice, even when they listened to the "animal like screams from her as the ice sought to break her back" and not even the fact that they endured the ordeal, and still pretty much retained their sanity. Not even the fact that they traveled so far on foot, rather than on the ship they took.

What I find curious is that while there were many interested in pursuing the quest, only a few actually went.
There were only 28 men on that "adventure." (twenty six were actually chosen, one stowaway, and, of course, Ernest himself,)

I believe that number is relative to the time that people spend on other people’s lives, or with their church, or in their own personal bible study/reading time, or even in the amount that people actually think.

I've heard it quoted that only 5 percent of people actually think!
15 percent think that they think,
and the remaining 80 percent of people…
would rather die than think!

It seems that most, but not all of us, are emotionally comfortable where we are, so don't mess with it.
Going to work and coming home to various transient pursuits, whether televised, or otherwise, seem to take up our otherwise generally fruitless time. Go to work, come home, disengage.

In my observation many people, in America at least, who call themselves "Christians" live their life in a sheltered place where they have become accustomed to their "right" to convenience.
They cling to mournfully lazy and ineffective lives as they are not truly committed or authentic followers of the same even though they would vehemently argue otherwise.
They just do not read The Bible and their prayers are ineffective.
We scarce know, in this, the greatest nation on God's green earth, real persecution and are rarely ever visited by evil because we're not a threat to the spread of it.
We have been too lazy, too long.
Too bad!

While I say many, I really do mean a lot.
Their lives are superficial, and they don't know it or don't care.
Their pursuits are transient, their goals are random, and their children are not acquainted with sterling examples of lives devoted to a loving God who directs the path of their parents.
The same children are, however used to compromise, and if you can get away with it it's okay. As long as no one gets hurt.

Nevertheless, there are still some who are true "believers" following closely the teachings of the Bible and living their lives accordingly.

What is your prayer life affecting?
What do you pray for? Or who?
Does God answer your prayers? This too can change, through endurance.
Endurance takes time, much like any other worthwhile pursuit. Getting to know people takes time.
Letting them get to know you takes time.
Getting to know God takes, not only time, but a life-time. But then that is time very well spent, because as you get to know God, you learn what is important to Him, or maybe I should say you learn Who is important to Him.