By Shawn Blackmon
There are moments in a football game when throwing the ball away is the smartest thing a quarterback can do. The pocket collapses, defenders are closing in, and instead of taking a sack or forcing a bad pass, he throws it out of bounds and lives to play another down. That may be good football. But in life, that can be dangerous theology. Because pressure has a way of making us want to throw things away, too.
When the marriage gets difficult, we want to throw it away. When the job becomes frustrating, we want to walk away. When ministry gets exhausting, we question whether it is worth it. When people disappoint us, we start reconsidering relationships. And when we have prayed, cried and waited longer than we ever expected, we can even become tempted to throw away our confidence in God. That is exactly why Hebrews 10:35 says, “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.”
Notice what Scripture does not say. It does not say, “Don’t lose your confidence.” It says, “Don’t throw it away.”
There is a difference. You can lose something accidentally. Throwing something away is a decision. It means you have decided it is no longer worth carrying. And I wonder how many times we have blamed the enemy for stealing something that disappointment convinced us to throw away ourselves.
Before the writer of Hebrews tells these believers to hold on, he tells them to remember. These were not people who had never trusted God. They had already suffered. They had already been mistreated. They had already taken some hits and remained faithful. Their problem was not that they had never trusted God. They were getting tired of trusting God.
Maybe you understand that feeling. You still love God. You still believe. You are just tired. But before you make a permanent decision because of temporary exhaustion, remember.
Remember what God has already brought you through. Remember the prayer he already answered. Remember the door he opened. Remember the season you thought would break you. Remember the nights you did not know how you were going to make it and, somehow, you are still here.
Sometimes you have to look backward long enough to find the faith to keep moving forward. Don’t let today’s pressure make you forget yesterday’s faithfulness.
Then Hebrews 10:36 tells us what we need: “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.”
It does not say you need more talent. More money. More connections. Another miracle. You need endurance.
That may not sound exciting, but some seasons are not won by being impressive. They are won simply by staying faithful. You do not have to be the fastest to finish. You just have to keep going.
Here is the difficult part: Scripture says that after doing the will of God, they still had to wait.
We have created an idea of faith that says if we obey God, everything should immediately work out. But you can obey and still wait. You can pray and still wait. You can serve, give, believe and still wait. There is often a space between obedience and fulfillment. That space is called endurance.
Waiting does not mean God has forgotten you. A delayed testimony does not mean a denied promise. Sometimes the greatest test of faith is not whether you believe God can do it, but whether you can trust him when he has not done it yet. That is fourth-quarter faith.
Everybody has energy at kickoff. But the fourth quarter reveals what is really inside you. You are tired. You have taken some hits. The original game plan may have changed. Things did not happen the way you expected. But the game is not over.
Hebrews 10:39 declares, “But we do not belong to those who shrink back.”
In other words: They Ain’t Like Us!
We do not abandon everything God has built because one quarter got difficult. We believe. We endure. We keep going.
So ask yourself this week: What am I tempted to throw away simply because I’m tired? Your confidence? Your calling? Your marriage? Your ministry? Your dream? Your commitment? Your expectation that God is still going to do what he said?
Before you throw it away, look at how much ground you have already covered. You have survived too much. Prayed too much. Grown too much. Seen God do too much to throw away your confidence now.
Welcome to the fourth quarter.
You may be tired, but keep going. You may take another hit, but keep going. You may have to adjust the game plan, but keep going. When you can only take one more step, take one more step. You’ve gained too much ground to throw it away now.
Let’s Pray:
Father, when I am tired, remind me that tired does not mean finished. When pressure tells me to quit, remind me of everything you have already brought me through. Give me endurance when I cannot see the promise yet. Help me trust your timing and hold tightly to my confidence in you. I refuse to shrink back. I refuse to throw away what you have placed in me. Give me strength to take another step, keep believing and finish faithfully. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Walk in grace. Stand in truth. Live blessed.
