Faith According to Hebrews 11: What God has for you is better than anything you could possible imagine

Sermon Devotional: Faith and Hebrews 11:1

Hebrews 11:1 is the penultimate verse on faith. It’s how we define it. “Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.”

When we live a life of faith, we live with the hope that God was serious about our salvation in Christ. We live with the hope that, in Christ, we are made new—that even though we are broken right now, we are, in part, divine, and one day we will be wholly divine.

Faith means living in that reality now, in the space between the “already” of our salvation and the “not yet” of our glorification. Every time we live within the guardrails of that hope, we open ourselves up to more opportunities for God to show us who He is, how He desires to work in our lives, and how He wants to use our lives in service of His kingdom. This is where we find proof of what is not seen—the proof that God is, in fact, working. Faith is a partnership. It’s our dependence on belief and His faithfulness to fulfill His promises.

So, if God is asking something of you, but you choose to live in doubt, you are not choosing to live in faith. Instead, you are choosing to live without hope, without the Spirit, and without blessing. Leaning into His plan and purpose might be the scariest thing of all time, but it also comes with the greatest reward.

Many times, though, what He is doing is in the background and isn’t entirely obvious to us. That’s why our determination to have faith is so critical. What we believe about what He is doing—even when it seems like He isn’t doing anything—defines the direction of our next steps.

Things to think about

1. In what areas of your life do you struggle to trust that God is working, even when you can't see it? How can you take a step of faith in those areas today?

2. What would it look like to live with hope in God's promises, rather than in doubt, in a current situation you're facing?

3. When have you experienced God’s faithfulness after stepping out in faith? How can that memory encourage you to trust Him more in the future?