God With Us: In Our Suffering

Understanding Hebrews 12:1–13

The author of Hebrews encourages Jewish Christians to stay strong in their faith. He tells them to get rid of any distractions or sins that might get in their way and to keep their eyes on Jesus, who started and completed their faith journey. The author also talks about how God’s discipline shows His love and acceptance of us. Through Jesus, we can find strength and healing. We also learn that discipline can lead to righteousness and peace.

1. How you deal with tough times depends on where you’re looking

Getting through hard times and suffering all comes down to keeping our focus on Jesus. The way we respond to difficulties is shaped by what we’re paying attention to and where we’re looking when times are hard. To keep going when things are tough, it’s important to think about how Jesus endured and to keep our minds focused on the right things.

2. Understanding what Jesus has done helps you deal with your problems

Jesus, who started and finished our faith journey, is our hero. He took our punishment and fought the enemy for us. His perfect life and death on the cross give us righteousness and freedom from guilt. As Christians, we know that even though we might have to go through suffering, it’s not a punishment because Jesus already took all of our punishment for us.

3. You should try to follow Jesus’ example

Jesus knew that even though he had to suffer, it would eventually lead to joy for everyone and for himself. Instead of focusing on the pain, he focused on the bigger, divine plan. In the same way, we’re encouraged to keep going through our own hard times, keeping up our spiritual habits and acts of kindness. By keeping our focus on Jesus and staying obedient, we can experience a change that goes beyond what we can even imagine.