Hebrews 11:6 – “But without faith it is impossible to please Him; for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

Hebrews, Chapter 11 (verses 1 through 40) is the chapter on faith. It is worth reading and re-reading until it becomes a part of who you are. These Scriptures highlight the fathers and mothers of faith. The Scriptures illuminate the sufferings endured for the faith, where righteousness was attributed because they believed God. Each person mentioned in this chapter had other challenges.

What stands out to me is that no one was perfect. They were not portrayed as perfect. Each person had other challenges. They experienced trauma as we do today. Betrayal, emotional abuse, physical abuse, rejection, abandonment, etc., to mention some of the common threads.

This is significant because knowing you are not alone in what you have experienced and/or endured is important. You haven’t gone through anything no one else has. I believe Jesus displayed this in His life, during His time on earth, as a man who was tempted like we are.

1 Corinthians 10:13 – ” No temptation has overtaken you except as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

Application for me is the understanding that through my struggles, God is with me. Having faith doesn’t mean you won’t have challenges. Having faith means my eyes are on the prize.

Be blessed.