So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded

Have you been discouraged? I have, and in fact I was this morning. With 20/20 hindsight I had ignored the nudge the Lord had given me to blog on this morning’s verse from Hebrews 10:35. In my discouragement, I had dismissed it, partially because it was the verse the Lord had given to a prayer partner yesterday. So I was thinking it was for her, not for me, and I was at a loss as to what to blog. But I noticed a message from her on facebook telling me that the Lord actually given this verse to her three times in the last two days. And she had clearly felt nudged to tell me, so I thought I had better take a second look.

In the context of this verse, the writer to the Hebrews had been talking about the tremendous struggles and difficulties his audience had successfully overcome. And it is in light of this that he tells them they should not throw away their confidence. And I realized again, that many times it is the small setbacks, rather than the big battles that can discourage us. And as I prayed about it, the Lord showed me that it was the less than enthusiastic response of two different people that I love, that I had allowed to discourage me. And “allowed” is the operative word, as it became clear that I had taken my eyes off the Lord, and had placed them on the response of my loved ones. So after a time of prayer with my prayer partner, I made a conscious choice do not throw away my confidence, and to choose to believe in the promised great reward.

Now the context of this promise in Hebrews, is of the hereafter, and I by no means dismiss these future rewards. But as I wrestled with my discouragement, the Lord reminded me of a verse that has meant a lot to me in the past. It is Psalm 27:13 (NKJV) which says “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the LORD, In the land of the living.” And in reminding me of this, the Lord was once again affirming that as I pray, He is at work in the here and now, in the lives of those I love, and that great rewards in the land of the living, the here and now, are also coming!

Father, I want to thank You Lord for the “coincidence” of my sister messaging me with this message of encouragement, at the very time I found myself in discouragement. Your promise is true Father, that You will supply all of our needs according to Your riches in glory. Thank You for Your encouragement Lord, thank You that You were not silent in my moment of need. Thank You for the fellowship of the saints, thank You for the comfort of Your Holy Spirit, thank You for reminding me, through my sister, of the need to give thanks in all things in Your precious Name Amen