Verse: Hebrews 10:32-37
32 Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. 33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. 34 You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. 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.”
Devotion:
There’s a lot we could talk about in this passage, but I want to just share one thought that is speaking to me this morning. It strikes me how the author talks about “those earlier days” and then recounts the long journey of faith for these Hebrew Christians. They’ve been through a lot already! They’ve been insulted, they’ve stood with people who have been mistreated, they’ve been persecuted, they’ve cared for people in prison, and more. The message is to not give up. Don’t “throw away your confidence,” you “need to persevere.”
It makes me think about how our faith is a journey. As you look back over your journey, no matter how long it is, no doubt you see the ups and the downs. There are great times where you’ve felt close to God, the Bible has been alive to you, worship has been so full, and your prayers felt real and powerful. And then there are times when the opposite is true. You feel like God is distant, the Bible is confusing or dry, worship feels too routine, and your prayers feel empty.
Those are the times when we need to not “throw away our confidence” and we “need to persevere.” Maybe you are going through one of those times right now in your faith. Maybe following Jesus is difficult, or feels empty right now. I think God wants to encourage you today. I think he wants to remind you that he is with you, no matter how hard it is. I think he wants to encourage you not to give up and that he has more for you. “In just a little while, he who is coming will come and not delay.”
I know it can feel overwhelming and so discouraging. In those difficult times, continue to lean into Jesus. He meets us in powerful ways in the dark times. Don’t give up. This isn’t the end of your story. More is to be written. You will see more of God’s goodness and love. You will find life and joy in him again. Keep going. Don’t give up.
Author: Christian Dunn
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