In a race, everyone who participates in it struggles with all their heart and energy to reach the finish line and victory. There is a price to pay to reach the finish line and victory. When many testimonies in the Bible describe this spiritual pilgrimage and daily life as a race, we will find nuances of struggle and sacrifice in us reaching the end that God has determined for His people. Faith in Christ is indeed a gift, but that gift does not spoil us but rather gives us the strength to struggle in living life according to His will.
The writer of the letter to the Hebrews again uses the image of a race to underline the struggle of faith of believers. The spiritual journey as a believer is a struggle. One must be serious in that struggle to fight sin and temptation. In fact, often in that struggle we will feel how hard God educates believers to stick to His provisions. However, that harsh discipline is like the discipline of a father who wants the best for his child. Believers are invited to always reflect on God's sometimes very harsh discipline because in the end what God does always has a good impact on our lives.
Every believer should continue to fight to maintain their faith by living peacefully and pursuing holiness. The writer of the letter to the Hebrews reminds the people not to fall into momentary lust like Esau who was described as being tempted by “low desires” so that in the end he did not receive the blessings that had been provided. The struggle does feel difficult, but like a race, before reaching a good end everyone must fight and do their best to end the race of our lives.
Bible friends, let us reaffirm and strengthen our hearts in the pilgrimage of life that is being lived. This life is a gift from God, so we must be grateful for it by becoming His obedient and faithful children. God always helps us in this struggle even in His discipline which often seems so harsh. However, the harshness of God's discipline always has a good impact on our lives as long as every believer submits to His love and will.
