The encouragement God gave me tonight

 "These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them, and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles of earth." Hebrews 11:13 ESV

"And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised..." Hebrews 11:39 ESV

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They call the Book of Hebrews the "Hall of Faith" as it lists down all the prominent people in the Bible who have shown great faith in God. 

Now it makes sense to me.

Chapter 11 of Hebrews started with "Now faith is being sure of what we hoped for, and being certain of what we do not see," our faith has a lot to do with things unseen and God wants us to hope for this invisible things, and He even wants us to claim it, be certain of this! However, the two verses above makes me think, haven't these people of faith hoped for what was promised and yet have not received it?

Hebrews 11:40 gives us the answer, "...did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect."

What was promised here is nothing compared to what was promised in the end.

The truths that echoed to my heart tonight are these:

**Great faith doesn't guarantee us great life.**

**When we experience sorrows and deep longings, we have to acknowledge it as it only shows we are strangers and exiles on earth, in this world, not of this world**

**You did not receive what was promised here on earth because God has prepared something better for you, that apart from you, will not be perfect.**

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A little encouragement xx