Without the clear view of where we are going in our hearts, difficult times will seem discouraging and can foster complaining.
Faith is what is needed.
Hebrews 11
V4(NLT) It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did.
V5(NIV) By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death:
V7(NIV) By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.
V8(NIV) By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.
All those referred to in Hebrew 11 were Old Testament saints who lived by their faith. By their faith they did some amazing things.
Hebrews 11:39(NLT) All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised.
Hebrews 11:39(AMPC) And all of these, though they won divine approval by [means of] their faith, did not receive the fulfilment of what was promised,
Hebrews 11:40(NLT) For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.
God has something better for us. The faith of the New Testament should be better than that of people in the Old Testament.
Habakkuk 2:4(NKJV) Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; but the just shall live by his faith.
Romans 1:17(NKJV) For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
Galatians 3:11 NKJV) But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.”
We have something better than our own faith. Something better has come.
Galatians 2:20(NKJV) I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
I now live by the faith in the Son of God. The just shall now live by the faith of Jesus. I now no longer live by my faith but by the faith of Jesus. My faith lags in many areas, but His faith has already done everything that I need. I am going to have faith in His faith. My faith is in what has already been done.
Galatians 2:19(MSG) What actually took place is this: I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn’t work. So I quit being a “law man” so that I could be God’s man.