Hebrews Kind of Faith

I admit it. I’ve been a bit discouraged lately and for that I repent. Questions of “why” and “what for” have clouded my heart and mind. What is the purpose of all this moving and leaving of everything comfortable to us? I have been looking at the supposed goal and not the continual process we have been experiencing. I cried out to God.

He so graciously reminded me of other times in my life when I faced overwhelming odds that my first response by the power of his Holy Spirit was… “God has a plan and a purpose.” “Why” wasn’t my initial response. “Why” didn’t even matter at the time. It was only “who” that mattered. The “who” was my God, who was and who is and who evermore shall be in control of all things.

Oh, me of little faith. I had forgotten the joy I experienced in prior times of challenge. I got weighed down with the cares of this life. It’s easy to do, one minute you are walking in faith and then the next minute your eyes gravitate to the wind and waves crashing around you.

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:6 came to my attention today. With all my heart, I want to please him, why else would I allow myself to be so uprooted from all that is familiar to me? Not that I am some super person, no, but because he has put the desire in my heart for his purposes.

As I read more in Hebrews 11, I was amazed by all of the people who never received in this life, that which they dedicated their lives to believe. The people of Hebrews 11 faced horrendous circumstances and were faithful to the end. If anyone had reason to ask “why” it would have been them and yet they marched on with their faces like flint focused on the prize.

I’m sure they had their moments, no one is impervious to weakness; otherwise, what would be the need for God? Yes, they were human but with a remarkable God just as we are.

I also noticed in verses 13-16 that the confessions of the people’s mouths and their thoughts lined up in agreement. “…And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.”

They were looking forward into God for a better country. They had perspective. They knew that God had someplace for them. This should be my confession and thought. I realized that I needed to trust God in that he has brought us to this place and he has a plan, a purpose and place for us.

Whether I ever see those things come to pass or not doesn’t matter, I realize it’s the daily steps of belief and trust in him that matter. How sad it would be for me to live my whole life just looking forward to an end result and totally miss the in between; like a man who waits for his ship to come in only to die and never have received his desired treasure. The treasure was there before him all the time, but because he wasn’t looking for it in that form, he missed it. How tragic, how wasteful.

God, thank you for refocusing my eyes and helping me to stay in today. Thank you for causing me to realize once again, that every moment of life is precious. Help me to please you in all I say and do having faith and trust in you in all of life’s daily occurrences. I love you, Jesus Amen.