FORMER DAYS. Hebrews 10:32-33 "Call to remembrance" was an appeal to the Hebrews to press on despite opposition and pressure to conform to the opinions of others who are not believers. A short memory is a long loss. Remembering former days and former afflictions helps us to persevere in faith when facing persecution and pressure. Suffering can build patience. It is often in times of great stress that we may sense God's presence and appreciate the help of Christians in a way we never thought we would. We need to remind ourselves that "Ye have in heaven a better and enduring substance." There is a reality to what we have already been promised.
Any believer who lives a life of faith will suffer because of their faith in Christ and their association with Him. When the work of the Holy Spirit converts a person and has put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior, they will face loss and persecution of various kinds. This shows those who know us that we have acknowledged we were not right before God, and when they think about it, it means they are not either. They need to recognize their guilt and sinfulness before God, repent of their sins, and place their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. If they are unwilling to do that, the result will be reproach and persecution for us.
Suffering results from personal reproach and trials in life that arise from not conforming to the ways of the world. It also stems from associating with and caring for other Christians who are going through similar circumstances. The real challenge comes not only at the beginning of a life of faith but also when we are tested to stand fast and firm in what we profess, right up to the end of our lives.
When a believer in Christ is viewed as a “gazing stock,” a “spectacle,” and is reproached and despised, remember that our Lord was despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. When those testing times come, recall people from the past who faced trials: Stephen and James were killed; Peter and Paul were imprisoned for their faithfulness to the Lord and His Gospel, and they were killed for their testimony of Jesus Christ as their Lord.
We can have childlike confidence in our Lord Jesus Christ and say to God, “Abba Father.” Patience in tribulation is a constant need during times of conflict, sorrow, difficulty, and temptation. We must be committed to a life of faith and motivated by the promise that “He that shall come will come and will not tarry.”