This morning in prayer, I shut off all the noise in my head and waited in silence to see if God had anything to say to me. I heard two words: “Confidence and Assurance.” As I meditated on these words and hid them in my heart, I had a thought: “Life can be unpredictable.”
It’s true. One day we can get a check in the mail, and the next week we can receive a bill. For me, I received a doctor’s report last year that I had type 2 diabetes. I had worked hard to eat right, lose some weight, and bring my A1C down from an 11 to under 5.7, which is now normal. In fact, I don’t have diabetes any longer. This was a huge blessing.
However, this year I received a report that I have melanoma skin cancer on my chest. The doctor said it can spread, and they want to do surgery as soon as possible. After surgery, I now have a huge chunk of flesh taken from my chest and two other areas on my chest that were also cut out. Life truly can be unpredictable. One day you have a victory, and the next day you are fighting with all the faith you have left.
In Hebrews 10:35–36, the early Christian church was under great persecution but was standing strong in their faith in Jesus Christ. Their faith brought them through this hard time. However, later in their lives, they again faced another persecution, but this time they were weary and didn’t have the confidence they once had. That is why Paul said in verses 35 and 36, “Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.”Paul urges the Hebrew Jewish believers to not lose confidence in God or their ability to hold on to God through this new challenge. They would need confidence and endurance.
Confidence is your posture — “I trust God fully.”
Endurance is your practice — “I keep obeying while I wait.”I felt the Holy Spirit say that these two words are important to overcoming all of life’s challenges. We need to have confidence in God and fully trust Him. He will not let us down, and He will bring us through our struggles again and again, which leads to endurance. We need to keep on keeping on. We need to throw off every negative thought and keep trusting God.
I want to remind you that, like the Hebrew Christians who came through persecution, you too will come through the battle you are facing. Put your confidence in the Lord and continue to endure. Your reward will come, and you will fulfill the will of God for your life. God is good and will not fail you.
Scriptures to Meditate On
Hebrews 10:35
“Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.”Hebrews 3:14
“For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end.”Proverbs 3:26
“For the Lord will be your confidence,
And will keep your foot from being caught.”Philippians 1:6
“Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”Ephesians 3:12
“In whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.”2 Timothy 1:12
“For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.”Hebrews 11:1
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
(The word substance carries the idea of assurance, firm confidence, or foundation.)Colossians 2:2
“That their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ.”Hebrews 6:11
“And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end.”1 John 5:13
“These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.”1 Thessalonians 1:5
“For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance.”Hebrews 4:16
“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”Romans 8:38–39
“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come… shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Devotional Reflection Questions
How does remembering God’s past faithfulness strengthen your confidence today?gs to come… shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Where in your life do you need renewed confidence in God right now?
What does endurance look like for you in this current season of waiting or struggle?
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