No PressureSample

The author of Hebrews compares our Christian life to a race that requires endurance. He used the metaphor of a race, not a journey. A journey may be leisurely. We can take breaks, pull over to a rest stop, or get a hotel room. But a race is all-out effort from start to finish. But how do we do this? By looking to Jesus and imitating His example.

How did Jesus endure the horrific pain of the cross? By focusing on the JOY set before Him—the joy He’d experience when He rose from the dead and ascended to the right hand of the throne of God. The joy He’d experience when the Father received Him and gave Him the Name above every name. Jesus didn’t focus on His pain or the injustice He experienced. He didn’t feel sorry for himself. We often tend to focus on our suffering. It’s not that we are to ignore our pain or put on a fake smile and say it doesn’t hurt. But sometimes we focus too much on our pain, asking ourselves: Why is this happening to me? Why do I have to go through this? God wants us to keep resetting our gaze on the joy set before us. The joy of Jesus wiping every tear from our eyes. Keep your eyes on the joy of hearing God say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”