We have read about the heroes of faith in the Old Testament, and seen that these ordinary humans, when submitted to God’s will, became agents of God’s kingdom purposes on earth. So, how can we become heroes of faith?

The writer of this letter to the Hebrews has some advice for us: let’s look to Jesus as our hope and our example. Jesus resisted sin, remained faithful in the face of opposition, and submitted to the Lord even when the way was hard. If we’re feeling tired and losing our way, keeping our eyes on Jesus will strengthen us.

And it seems as though we should expect things to sometimes be hard. Suffering and difficulties are part of life, and we will all experience these at some point in our lives. The writer suggests that we should view suffering as an opportunity, which is certainly easier said than done.

Yet, if we understand that suffering may have a purpose, perhaps it makes it easier to bear. We tend to understand ‘discipline’ as meaning ‘punishment’, but the word has a much broader meaning than that. It has the same root at the word ‘disciple’ and includes ideas of training, instruction, and cultivation. God may allow us to experience suffering as a discipline – not to punish us necessarily, but to teach us and give us an opportunity to grow and learn.

If you have ever rushed to prayer when you have found yourself in a desperate situation, you will not be the only one. When times are hard and we turn to God, we can experience his comfort, his strength and his answers to prayer. Verse 11 promises that this will produce the fruit of peace and righteousness. The faith walk is not always an easy one, but it is always worthwhile.

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NEWBOLD COMMUNITY CHURCH