From: Sally Vanture
"Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another everyday, as long as it is called 'today,' that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” Hebrews 3.12-13
As I read through today's scriptures, I am struck by these verses. It is so easy to slide into the "unbelieving heart". It almost always starts small with the little habitual sins I explain away and the disappointments I let define my view of God. Often, it's the small things that grow into doubt of the goodness of God. And the world doesn't help. I am encouraged to embrace the selfish acts that make me feel good in the moment. I am inundated with commentary on hopeless state of the world and question how a good God can be present in all this mess.
But I find hope in these verses. As a member of the body of Christ, I am not alone in this battle against my unbelieving heart. We are called to "exhort one another everyday...that none of you may be hardened..." Each week, I come to church and am reminded of the goodness of God. I have both offered encouragement and been encouraged. Through this, I find the strength to continue to trust and seek him. Our God is a good God and he has provided us with a community to help us seek and know him. Take heart in this and remember that you are not alone.
I am a worker in cancer clinical trials, a student of public health, and a friend to many.