Faith That Endures: Holding On When Life Feels Uncertain
Pastor Reed Sowell
Faith isn’t fragile. It’s not something meant to flicker and fade when the world feels heavy or the answers seem unclear. Real faith — the kind that lasts — digs its roots deep into who Jesus is and what He’s already done. It’s steady, not because life is easy, but because God is unchanging.
Click the link above for the full message.
At its core, faith that endures is a faith that rests and remains. It holds on when circumstances shake and reminds us of two life-giving truths: through Jesus, we can find rest and confidence. These are not luxuries for the strong, but promises for the weary.
The Foundation of Enduring Faith
When we talk about faith that lasts, it’s not about sheer willpower or personality. It’s about what — or rather who — the faith is built on. Hebrews 3 opens with a call that’s as relevant now as it was then:
“Fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest.” (Hebrews 3:1, NIV)
Faith begins with focus. It’s not random optimism. The passage compares Jesus to Moses, a revered figure in Jewish history. Moses was faithful in God’s house — but Jesus is over the house. Moses pointed people to God’s promises; Jesus is the fulfillment of those promises.
So the question for every believer becomes personal:
What am I building my life on?
Our culture offers a thousand foundations — success, relationships, approval, stability — but all of them eventually crack. The builder always deserves more honor than the house, and the only true builder of our lives is God Himself.
Fix Your Focus on What Lasts
When everything feels chaotic, it’s tempting to reach for what seems certain: control, safety, the familiar. But faith that endures looks in a different direction — toward Jesus.
This isn’t about ignoring reality. It’s about choosing the right reality to fix your gaze on. The readers of Hebrews were facing persecution and pressure to return to their old ways. Faith didn’t feel safe. But the writer urged them not to regress — because going back to what once worked can’t sustain what God is calling you to now.
Jesus didn’t come to offer an alternative religion; He came to fulfill every promise ever made by God. That’s why enduring faith begins with this simple but challenging rhythm:
Fix your thoughts on Jesus.
Guard your heart from unbelief.
Encourage others to keep holding on.
Faith grows where focus lives. And where focus shifts, faith starts to fade.
Guarding Your Heart from Unbelief
There’s a warning in Hebrews 3 that’s easy to gloss over:
“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” (Hebrews 3:7–8, NIV)
It’s not just a poetic phrase — it’s a spiritual diagnosis. Hard hearts don’t happen overnight. They develop through disappointment, distraction, and disbelief.
Unbelief doesn’t always look like rebellion. Sometimes it looks like quiet resignation — the voice that says, “I’ll believe again when life makes sense.” But faith that endures keeps walking even when understanding hasn’t caught up yet.
If you’re doubting, you’re not alone. Doubt isn’t the opposite of faith; it’s often the doorway to deeper belief. The problem isn’t in questioning — it’s in quitting.
Take a step toward God in your doubt. Read His Word. Pray, even if it feels awkward. Be honest about your fears. Faith grows in movement, not in stalling.
The Power of Encouragement in Community
Faith isn’t meant to be a solo endeavor. Hebrews reminds us:
“Encourage one another daily… so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” (Hebrews 3:13, NIV)
The Christian life is a team effort. Encouragement is more than compliments — it’s reminding each other of what’s true when we forget.
When you feel weak, someone else’s faith can hold you up. When they falter, your words might help them stand.
Community isn’t optional for endurance; it’s essential. That’s why being part of a church family or small group matters. Faith that endures isn’t built in isolation — it’s forged in shared struggle, laughter, tears, and prayer.
So send the text. Invite the friend. Open your home. God uses ordinary people to speak extraordinary hope.
Rest That Can’t Be Earned
By the time we reach Hebrews 4, the theme shifts — from faith that perseveres to faith that rests.
“There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.” (Hebrews 4:9–10, NIV)
This kind of rest isn’t just about taking a nap or a day off. It’s about trust. The Israelites longed for rest in the Promised Land, but even after they arrived, peace eluded them. Their rest wasn’t found in geography — it was found in relationship.
True rest is not inactivity; it’s freedom from striving. It’s the quiet assurance that you don’t have to perform for God’s approval because Jesus already fulfilled the law.
God’s design from the beginning was for His people to walk in dependence, not self-reliance. And Sabbath isn’t about legalism — it’s about trust. Do we trust God enough to stop working and let Him carry what we can’t?
Trusting God Enough to Stop Striving
Resting takes faith. For many, it feels unnatural to stop and do nothing. We tell ourselves that everything depends on us — but that belief is exhausting.
When we refuse to rest, what we’re really saying is, “I don’t trust God to handle what I can’t.”
Faith that endures requires surrender — a willingness to stop proving ourselves and start believing God is enough.
If your soul feels tired, it’s not a sign of failure. It’s an invitation to rest in what Jesus already accomplished.
He invites us to drop our burdens, release control, and breathe again.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28, NIV)
Allowing God’s Word to Do Its Work
Few verses are as sharp and comforting as this one:
“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword…” (Hebrews 4:12, NIV)
The Word of God doesn’t just inform — it transforms. It exposes what’s hidden, not to shame us, but to heal us.
When Scripture pierces, it’s not cutting to wound; it’s cutting to restore. The truth about God reveals the truth about us.
And here’s the paradox — the more God’s Word reveals our weakness, the more it shows His grace.
Jesus isn’t just the messenger of God’s Word; He is the Word made flesh. The same voice that spoke creation into being now speaks peace into your heart.
So let His Word read you. Let it rearrange what’s been out of order. Healing begins where honesty meets holiness.
Approach God with Confidence
After unpacking what faith looks like, Hebrews 4 ends with this extraordinary invitation:
“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16, NIV)
Confidence before God isn’t arrogance. It’s awareness — that through Jesus, we’re not outsiders trying to earn an audience with the divine. We’re children walking boldly into the presence of a loving Father.
Jesus, our High Priest, understands every weakness because He’s lived through it. He was tempted in every way, yet remained sinless. That means when we struggle, we’re not alone in the fight. He empathizes — not from afar, but from experience.
This is the kind of confidence that carries us through suffering. It’s the assurance that mercy and grace are not rewards for the righteous, but gifts for the desperate.
So whatever season you’re in — whether you’re weary, waiting, or wondering — keep approaching. Grace is waiting every time.
Living Out Faith That Endures
The message of Hebrews 3 and 4 can be summed up in two movements of faith:
Persevering Faith
Fix your eyes on Jesus
Guard your heart against unbelief
Encourage others daily
Resting Faith
Trust God with what you can’t control
Allow His Word to pierce and restore your heart
Approach His throne with confidence
Faith that endures is not about perfection. It’s about persistence — choosing to trust when the outcome isn’t clear and resting in the truth that Jesus already finished the work.
When you build your life on that kind of faith, you’ll find rest where others find restlessness, peace where others find panic, and strength where others see struggle.
Questions to Reflect On
What areas of my life am I still trying to control instead of trusting God with?
Who can I encourage this week to keep holding on in faith?
Have I allowed God’s Word to confront and comfort my heart lately?
A Call to Action
If your faith feels weary, don’t retreat — lean in.
Start small: take a Sabbath, open Scripture, text a friend for prayer.
Faith doesn’t grow by accident. It’s strengthened every time you fix your eyes on Jesus, guard your heart from unbelief, and live in the rest He promised.
You are invited to walk in that confidence today — not because you’ve earned it, but because Jesus has already made the way.
Further Reading
“Enduring Faith: A Study in Hebrews” – Desiring God
“Finding Rest in a Restless World” – Crossway
Other Links
Want to hear more? Check out last week’s message titled “All Eyes on the Son” on View Church’s YouTube Channel.
Looking for tools to grow deeper in your faith? Explore our resources page.