We’ve got your daily encouragement, written by Aaron Martell.
Bible Reading:
“35 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. 36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37 For, “In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.” 38 And, “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.” 39 But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.“
Hebrews 10:35-39
Word:
The book of Hebrews is a fascinating book of the Bible, part of it because no one person can identify who actually wrote the book. The other part is because there are large chunks that encourage your faith journey and why you need to endure. This passage is just before the infamous Hebrews 11, Hall of Faith chapter. It is as though he leads into all these great men and women of faith with these words; what it means to endure and what it doesn’t mean.
First what does it mean to have endurance. Simply put…
Confidence + perseverance + moving towards the will of God = enduring faith.
How do we apply this to our everyday life? Where is your confidence? Is it in yourself, in who you think you are? Or it your confidence in what God has done through Jesus and who He says you are?
Perseverance is the attitude and mindset of each day, one step towards God’s will. God’s will could be the way you respond to someone, the way you serve, the way you fill your life with his purposes and not your own. Perseverance is taking one consistent step in that direction.
Which leads to the other truth of the passage, what not to do to endure; shrink back. Think about that phrase for a moment. What does it mean to shrink back? To get small, to step away, to find excuses. If you don’t want to endure through what life gives you, than shrink back from what God is inviting you into.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, May I live out the truth of this passage, having a confidence in what you’ve done and who you say I am, which leads me to persevering towards the things that matter to you. But may I also be honest in my life with the ways I shrink back and get small. Would you help me understand those areas of my life, so I can grow in confidence and enduring faith. Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Skillwork:
Spend time journaling and reflecting on the following questions:
- What is your confidence rooted in? What you’ve done, your successes or failures? Or is it rooted in what God has done and who he says you are?
- What is one step you need to take today towards the will of God? Attitude, response, words, action?
- What area in your life are you shrinking back or getting small? How do you need to invite God and others into that so you can have enduring faith?
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