Verse: Hebrews 6:11-12

11 We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. 12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

Devotion
All I hear when I read these verses is, “don’t give up!” The writer of Hebrews is well aware that following Jesus is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. And the hope is that we finish well—that we persevere to the “very end.”

Maybe you need to hear that this morning. Maybe you have been praying through something for a long time, and it feels like you might as well give up. Maybe you’ve been following Jesus, but one thing after another just seems to go wrong, and you feel like, “what’s the point?” Maybe you’ve been wrestling with a sin that you just can’t seem to get free of, and you feel like throwing in the towel.

Today’s encouragement is don’t give up! We have all been there, and honestly, we’ll all be there again. You are not alone. When we get to the end of our rope, it can feel so lonely. But trust me, you are not alone. Others have walked (and are walking) that road and you can reach out to them for help. You also are not alone because Jesus knows that feeling as well. He has been to the end of his rope. And you can lean on him to persevere.

Later in Hebrews the writer will tell us to “hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful” (10:23). That’s really the key, isn’t it? It’s OK that you are struggling. It’s OK that you feel like you are at the end of your rope. Because in the end, it is God’s faithfulness, not ours, that will lead us across the finish line. Keep your eyes on Jesus and his strength for you. When you don’t have enough anymore, let him join you in your weakness. Let him comfort you and strengthen you.

And one more thing. Lean on community. I can’t emphasize this enough. In my lowest points of life, besides going to God, going to other believers has been the key. God built the community of faith called the Church to sustain each other through the hardest times. Don’t go it alone.

Prayer
Jesus, in the areas of my life where I feel like I’m at the end of my rope, would you meet me? Would you be my strength and my hope and my perseverance? I need you now. Come close to me.

Author: Christian Dunn