FAITH MEANS I REFUSE TO GIVE UP.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith… Hebrews 12:1 (NLT)

What do you do when you feel like giving up? We all have those moments when we can’t see any light at the end of the tunnel. We’ve been struggling with something – maybe a health issue, a broken relationship, financial problems, or depression – and we start to wonder if we have the strength to keep going. If you find yourself at that point today, we want to share some encouragement with you from Hebrews 12 and give you a powerful reason to keep on keeping on. Hebrews 11 is the Faith Chapter that tells us about great people of the faith: Abraham, Moses, David, and many others. Their stories are sources of encouragement in and of themselves. But a phrase that starts off the first verse of the next chapter is our focus today. Hebrews 12:1 says: Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith… God is saying, “Don’t give up, because heaven is watching and cheering for you.” That’s encouraging news! You have an audience. Nothing you do is private. Nothing you have ever done has been hidden from heaven. God sees it all. As Job says, “He sees everything I do and every step I take” (Job 31:4). And Jesus tells us, “Every hair on your head has been counted” (Luke 12:7). God knows every detail of your life. He watches every breath you take. There is nothing about you that God doesn’t already know. And God loves you in spite of it all! And it’s not just God who’s watching. Abraham, Moses, Rahab and all the other saints are there as well. How is this encouraging? When you feel discouraged, remember that people who have gone through what you are going through are watching to see how well you’re enduring. And they’re cheering you on from the grandstands of heaven!