Through Faith and Patience

And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. (Hebrews 6:11-12)

Here, the writer of Hebrews points to a combination essential to inheriting what God has promised. It is not faith alone, nor is it patience alone. It is faith and patience working together that bring us into everything God has promised. Faith is the Greek word pistis, meaning trust, confidence, belief, reliance, and assurance; patience means fortitude and long-suffering. It is the ability to take a hit and keep moving. It is the staying power that lets you look at a hard situation and say, “This is not stopping me.” Having one without the other leaves you short of the promise.

The warning in this passage is against being slothful—going through the motions of Christianity without the diligence and earnestness that actually bring you into the full assurance of hope. Many believers start with real fire and real expectation. But over time, if the promises have not come as quickly as expected, they pull back. They stop pressing for the promise God has spoken to them. And the writer of Hebrews says plainly that the path leads to missing what God has prepared.

The Word stood up for Abraham and all those in the Faith Hall of Fame described in Hebrews 11. It will stand up for you in a difficult relationship that should have ended you, in a financial season that should have broken you, or when you got a bad report and did not know how to turn it around. The Word will stand up—not because the circumstances cooperated, but because you will have enough Word in you and enough fortitude to hold on until the promise comes through. That is what it means to inherit by faith and patience. You can take a licking and keep on ticking when you have enough Word in the tank.

Practical Application

There's a difference between something you heard once and something that's been built into you. That kind of Word doesn't come from a highlight clip; it comes from showing up consistently, over time, when nobody's watching, and nothing feels exciting.

James 5:7; Psalm 37:7