Steadfast and Immovable in 2025

We’ve all seen the picture of an elite athlete straining to cross the finish line. Eyes may be wide open and breathing labored as they try to push ahead of the competition. We admire their determination and cheer when they cross the line. We respect the commitment and discipline that qualified them for competition, but most of all, we marvel at the sheer grit involved in it all.

The walk of faith similarly involves grit. Yes, I mean white-knuckled, teeth-clenching, muscle-popping, I-shall-not-be-moved grit because life will challenge our faith and commitment to God continually. Heartbreak, temptation, persecution, disappointment, physical suffering, unanswered questions, doubts, and the enemy’s unrelenting schemes are just a few examples of the challenges we all face. Sometimes the seas don’t part, our Lazarus may remain in his tomb, and the fourth man may not appear in the fire. But as painful as these realities may be, our faith requires that we face them boldly and decide—as a matter of will—to continue following God and his ways through them all.

At different times in the history of the church, Christians struggled for various reasons to hold onto their faith. The letter to the Hebrews was written to encourage believers who were facing serious persecution and abandoning the faith in droves. The writer reminded them that God expected them to live by faith and not turn back (Heb. 10:32-39). The believers at Corinth had reverted to old ways because they had stopped believing in the resurrection and living for God seemed pointless. Paul reminded them to hold onto what they had been taught because their faith was not in vain. Be steadfast and immovable; keep doing good, he said (1 Cor. 15:58).

None of us know what 2025 will bring. But there is one thing we can do: we can decide now to hold onto our faith no matter what. We can decide now to walk with God daily, steadily, and humbly because when it comes right down to it, our faith is the one thing that will keep us stable in an unsteady, unpredictable world.

Happy New Year!