Don't Dump Your Warp Core

I’ll admit it; I’m a Sci-Fi junkie. I love science fiction and grew up on  the classic 1960s reruns of Star Trek. I am a bit of a Trekkie at heart – not hard core, but I do enjoy it. Any Trekkie worth his salt has  noticed a tendency that came into popularity with the new iteration of the Star Trek universe – Star Trek the Next Generation – dumping the warp core. The warp core is what powers the ships of the Star Trek universe. Without it, their ships are essentially dead in space; only being able to maneuver with thrusters and impulse engines, but not being able to travel from galaxy to galaxy with ease. Told you I was a bit of a Trekkie.

Despite the harrowing experiences that have plagued the various Star Trek crews, whether Enterprise 1701 A-E, Voyager, Reliant, or even DS9, the thought of taking such drastic measures has dumping your ship’s warp core has only been accomplished seven times. On Star Trek: Insurrection, Picard ordered the dumping of Enterprise-E’s warp core to seal a tear in subspace. Star Trek’s Voyager ship dumped her core three times in the show’s history – once to prevent Voyager from entering a nebula, once to prevent a core breach due to a build-up of tachyon particles, and once to barter for Captain Janeway’s release. A replica Voyager dumped its core to get the attention of the real Voyager’s crew in “Course: Oblivion.” Also on ST: Voyager, the shuttle, Delta Flyer, dumped its core because the fuel converter given to them was sabotaged. Finally, in the 2009 movie Star Trek – a reworking of the classic 1960s story – Enterprise dumped several warp cores (apparently it takes more than the TV shows implied to power a ship of that size) to create a shockwave they could use to escape the black hole that formed in the Narada. Told you I was a Star Trek geek.

Each of these situations has a common thread which guided the various crews and captains to take such drastic steps to survive. At each junction, when the decision to make a potentially life threatening, all or nothing, “hail Mary” play like dumping your main power core was made, the outcome was seemingly hopeless. Dumping the ship’s core was their last ditch effort at survival. It was dump the core and helplessly react to what happens next or die.

In the Christian life, we all face situations when we feel like it’s all or nothing; like we should make a drastic, potentially hazardous life decision or we will crash and burn. In my years as a pastor, I’ve seen too many people decide to dump their cores, hang on, and hope for the best. Those kinds of decisions might work in a fictional universe, but it’s not what God wants us to do.

What does God expect from us when life gets seemingly impossible for us? He wants us to endure. Old theologians used the term persevere. Several New Testament passages instruct us in this regard.

Paul reminds us that we are to work hard in life, and when we’re cursed by others, we bless them in return; when we’re persecuted, we endure it (1 Cor. 4:12). Paul’s term, translated endure, means “to exercise restraint, to tolerate, to patiently put up with.” It’s also used in Ephesians 4:2, 2 Timothy 4:3, and Hebrews 13:22.

Paul further instructs us that no time of testing is uniquely particular to us as Christians, but that what we go through is common to all humanity. Furthermore, God is faithful and won’t let us go through trials that we can’t endure (1 Cor. 10:31). The word, translated endure here, means, “to bear up under.” If this is true, how could Paul say in 2 Cor. 1:8 that the suffering he and his companions experienced were beyond their ability to endure? Don’t forget 1:9. Paul made it clear that they felt they were going to die as a result of the severity of their trials, but noted that these were given to them to increase their faith in God. There’s no contradiction here. Our trials are the same. Despite their severity, our trials teach us to rely on God and are never greater than we can endure.

So why would God allow his children to endure hardships in life? Why not make life easy for us? I believe Scripture gives us a few reasons. First, our enduring hardship is for the benefit and expanse of the gospel. Paul endured his hardships so that sinners might hear the gospel and come to salvation in Jesus Christ (2 Tim. 2:10). When sinners see how Christians endure life’s common trials with faith and trust in God and refuse to simply dump their warp cores, it’s a testimony to the effectiveness of the gospel and opens doors for its proclamation. Secondly, our enduring hardship in life is sanctifying; it disciplines us and makes us more like Jesus (Heb. 12:7). Finally, our enduring trials and hardship in this life builds our faith and secures future heavenly reward (2 Tim. 2:11-13). If we endure and remain faithful to Jesus in this life we will be rewarded in glory. Truthfully, this is not an easy thing to hold to when you’re in the middle of a hard trial, but it is comforting and encouraging.

So, Christian, how do you deal with life’s worst and hardest trials? Are you once who wants to just dump their core and hold on for dear life? I hope not. Stick by the stuff. Stay true to the One who redeemed you, and realize that Jesus is in control and there’s a purpose for your suffering and trials.