"Let us seize and hold tightly the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is reliable and trustworthy and faithful [to His word]..."
--Hebrews 10:23 (AMP)
Have you ever gone mountain climbing or rock climbing? If so, then you are aware of the process of preparing for the climb. In order to have a successful climb, one must be "geared up". I can remember an occasion in which I took my daughters rock climbing. As an observer, I was intrigued by the process of them getting prepared to climb a huge rock wall. The instructor gave a brief tutorial and helped them get into their climbing gear. Once properly harnessed, they began to scale the wall. Based on their attempts, I quickly concluded that this is one of those sports that is harder than it looks! It times strategy, thought, planning, strength, and the right attitude. There were instances in which my girls slipped, lost their footing, or had difficulty reaching the next level. However, what was most intriguing was their resolve to recalibrate and try again and again after slipping. After a few failed attempts I noticed that they were beginning to approach the rock wall differently. Rather than rushing to race to the top, their movements became more strategic, methodical, and thoughtful. They began to take their time and the enjoy the experience of a gradual, but steady assent. Once their perspective changed, everything about their rock climbing experience changed.
We can correlate this physical rock climbing experience to our walk of faith. Life can be challenging and difficult at times, but our approach to adversity determines our assent. As it relates to the rock wall, I saw some people never make it off the ground and become so frustrated that they simply quit. Others continued to steadily climb until they reached the top of the wall.
How many of us give up because things just seem too hard? This is the opposite of what the Bible teaches. Hebrews 10:23 encourages us to hold on, or grasp tightly, to our faith; our hope. We are encouraged to hold on to our faith with all of our might without loosening our grip. We do this because there is a promise on the other side of our faith--a promise from God that he will do what he said because he is reliable, trustworthy, and faithful to his word.
As you climb the proverbial rock wall of life, what are you climbing toward? As you climb, is your faith rooted and grounded in the word of God? Are your eyes focused on the Lord? Be mindful to thank God for where you are. Trust him for where you are going to be. Purpose to have a heart of gratitude. Activate the gift of faith in your life to continue on. Strive to have a positive and joyful countenance; Proverbs 18:14 reminds us that the spirit of a man will sustain him when he is sick, but no one can bear a broken spirit.
Remember I shared that my girls slipped a few times during their rock climb? What kept them from falling was their climbing harness. The climbing harness is what secures the climber to the anchor point. The Good News for us as believers is that we already have our spiritual climbing gear on board in our lives. When Christ is our anchor and we are rooted in the word of God, we can scale the heights (Psalm 18:33)!
If you are struggling in your faith today, be encouraged and refreshed by the word of God. Purpose to meditate on the truths of scripture that God is reliable and trustworthy. He does not go back on his word. What he said he will do (based upon his word) is an assurity, simply receive it and do not let it go.
Prayer
Father, in the name of Jesus, thank you for the gift of faith that enables me to keep moving and striving to live life to the full (John 10:10). Help me to meditate on the truths of your word so that they resound in my mind and in my heart. May I live a life that is ever mindful of who you are and the power of your word at work in my life. I receive the promises of your word by faith, now. "My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise." (Psalm 57:7). Thank you for enduring hope and a heart that is steadfast before you. In Jesus' name, Amen.
