Faith That Gives Up to Gain

Hebrews 11:24-26 -  “By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.”

 

Hebrews 11 is often called the “Hall of Faith.” It recounts the journeys of men and women who trusted God in very different circumstances. Each person’s journey of faith looked different:

• Abraham had to wait for what he did not yet have.
• Noah had to build what he could not yet see.
• Sarah had to believe what seemed impossible.
• Moses had to give up what he already had.

Each saint’s story reminds us that faith is not one-size-fits-all. Sometimes faith means holding on, sometimes it means letting go. Sometimes it means waiting patiently, other times it means walking boldly. And sometimes just being silent.

 

For Moses, faith is not just belief in God’s existence but trusting God enough to make costly decisions. Faith meant refusing Egypt’s treasures and pleasures in order to identify with God’s people. He chose disgrace with Christ over comfort in Pharaoh’s palace, because he was looking forward to a greater reward. Faith that surrenders what is temporary to receive what is eternal.

 

For Moses:

• He refused status (as Pharaoh’s grandson, he could’ve been royalty).
• He refused pleasure (the “fleeting pleasures of sin” in Egypt).
• He chose suffering (to identify with God’s enslaved people).
• He looked ahead (trusting God’s reward, which he couldn’t yet see).

In this context, faith means placing ultimate trust in God's promises, even when doing so requires sacrificing comfort, status, or personal pleasure. It’s the conviction that what God offers—though unseen and often delayed—is far greater and more lasting than anything the world can give. Yes, the cost of such faith can be incredibly high, demanding obedience in the face of uncertainty, loss, or even suffering. But true faith sees with different eyes—it looks beyond the immediate and the visible, holding fast to the eternal and the unseen. It chooses what is lasting over what is easy.

 

As Scripture says:

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” — Hebrews 11:1 (KJV)

 

Application

 

Faith, in Moses’ case, meant saying “no” to the best the world could offer, because he believed God’s unseen promises were worth more.

 

In our daily lives, faith is lived out when we make decisions—big or small—based not on what is easiest or most comfortable, but on what pleases God and reflects eternal values.

 

Like Moses, we face choices every day:

• Will we choose integrity at work, even if it costs advancement?
• Will we choose godly friendships over compromising influences?
• Will we choose generosity over clinging to wealth?
• Will we choose time with God over endless distractions?
• Will we choose courage to stand for Christ, even if people mock us?

Faith in our daily living means seeing beyond the immediate—refusing what is temporary in order to embrace what is eternal.

Prayer

Lord, teach me to walk by faith like the saints before me. Help me to refuse what is temporary, even when it is tempting, and to choose what pleases You, even when it is costly. Give me eyes to see the eternal reward that is far greater than the treasures of this world. In Jesus’ name, Amen.