Retreat By Staying Put

The Hebrew writer warns us about the danger of retreat:

But my righteous one shall live by faith; and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him. But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.

Hebrews 10:38-39

It’s an interesting turn of phrase he uses here. It a word would be visually represented by a deflating balloon. One that is incorporates the idea one not finishing what he has started. Not just of one turning and running away but one refusing to advance.

Faithful living isn’t just standing in one spot unmoved. It is advancing to the goal. A Christian can be in full retreat even when they are standing still. Either you are growing or you are shrinking. Look around, is everything the same, are we doing the same things, struggling with the same old problems. If so we are not moving anywhere.

This needs to be a shocking reminder to us. We can’t just find a rut and stick in it. We need to be moving forward. It takes courage to hold your ground but it takes even greater resolve to advance. Some feel if they are not moving they are staying put but the truth is if we are the same place spiritually where we started we are not where we need to be.

And going nowhere is going backward.

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