Confidence When Life is Bleak

Do you ever question whether you can survive another day of pain or heartache, feeling like everything around you is bleak?

It's ok to wrestle with discouragement from the brokenness of life. We all have days where we feel we have no confidence or hope left. But as we face hardship, we have cling to truth in the desperate moments. Hebrews 10:35 encourages us:

"Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward." 

That phrase strikes me every time. There is reward in persevering and not giving up. The only problem is, while I want to remain confident and hopeful in any form of suffering, the reality is—I’m not. I battle doubt, fear, envy, discouragement, hopelessness, and a host of other things.

But what I love about Hebrews 10 is that it’s not simply a command to do better. It’s not a “Suck it and up and deal with your pain” exhortation. Nor is it a denial of the difficulty. No, there’s something bigger than us that solidifies our hope:

The blood of Jesus gives us complete access to the Father.

Stop and think about that. We have tremendous confidence in suffering because Jesus made a way for us to enter the holy place. (Heb. 10:19)

In the Old Testament, only the high priest could enter the holy place, and just once a year. It required the sacrifice of an animal, representing the blood shed for the sins of the people of God. Jesus fulfilled the sacrificial system by becoming the once-for-all, perfect sacrifice. And in doing so, He destroyed the curtain that separated us from God. This is the foundation of our confidence.

So when you fall into despair, when you sin, when you wrestle with the ongoing trials you face—you have a great High Priest to run to. One who knows and sympathizes with your weaknesses (Heb. 4:15). Don’t turn away from Him because you’re struggling or things are difficult. Run to the throne of grace (Heb. 4:16).

On the days you feel like God has abandoned you or is against you, look to the cross. Jesus shed His own blood to redeem you. To give you complete access to the Father who loves and cares for you. He could not abandon you now.

How does that provide confidence when life is bleak? Because today, we have the ability to draw near to a holy God. We can cry out for grace in our struggles and our failures. Our hope for hanging on is not based on ourselves. And that is a powerful, freeing reality. So then...

"...let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful." Heb. 10:22-23

Let's turn to God in our weakness and experience His nearness, care, and faithful provision for today.