Faith Foundations Week Four

Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13“Make level paths for your feet,” b so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.- Hebrews 12:12-13

Faith is like a marathon. Most runners who have endured the 26 mile race will tell you that at some point, no matter their experience, they hit a wall. It feels like they cannot go any further. And much like a marathon, in the race of faith there will be times, tests and seasons when we find ourselves feeling fatigued. Even now, many of us may be spiritually exhausted and tired, like we cannot go on. 

When you’re experiencing weariness, what are you doing to strengthen your feeble hands, and weak knees? What are you doing to strengthen your spiritual life?

We have a perfect example in Jesus. We know that if Jesus could persevere in the Garden of Gethsemane, we can persevere in our faith. And we don’t have to do it alone. In Hebrews 3:13, the Bible encourages us to  “But encourage one another daily”. Jesus did not do life or ministry alone. There is a spiritual strength that can only be found when we run with others. Our race affects those around us. There are people running around us, behind us, with us who are impacted by our ability to persevere. In our race, we are running after peace and holiness. We must run with inner fortitude so that we can persevere.

As we run, we must look out for a spirit of gracelessness (Hebrews 12:15). The Bible teaches us that God’s grace empowers us. If we lose grace for ourselves and others then we also lose our spiritual strength. 

Additionally, we must also guard against apostasy (Hebrews 12:15). When we lose our faith a root of bitterness has the opportunity to spring up in our heart.

Our appetites can also take us out of our race (Hebrews 12:16). And so we must consider Jesus and strengthen ourselves in the Lord. 

In order to stay in the race of faith, Hebrews 12:1 teaches us that we must throw off every weight and sin and fix our eyes on Jesus.