We all want things to turn out happy.  We want everyone to do what they are supposed to do.  We want all accidents and sickness and suffering to go away.  To cease.  But it doesn't work that way.

If you become a Christian--according to some 'prosperity' evangelists--you will be healed of all sickness.  Get rich.  And succeed in all that you do.  They say that if that isn't the case, that you haven't had faith in God.  That you haven't been saved…etc…  Ridiculous.  God never promised any such thing.  And the eleventh chapter spells out the terrible things that those of us who have faith may encounter.

If you are suffering--physically, emotionally, psychologically--don't despair.  The Bible says that Jesus suffered in all points as we do.  And the people of faith in the eleventh chapter did, too.

After naming dozens of those who were saved by faith in the Old Testament, and dozens that God helped and spared from trauma, the author finishes by saying that there were others who suffered:

Hebrews 11:35a-40 puts it this way: "But others trusted God and were beaten to death, preferring to die rather than turn from God and be free--trusting that they would rise to a better life afterwards.  Some…were beaten with whips, and others were chained in dungeons.  Some died by stoning and being sawed in two; others were promised freedom if they would renounce their faith, then were killed with the sword.  Some…wandered over deserts and mountains, hiding in dens and caves.  They were hungry and sick and ill-treated--too good for this world.  And these men of faith, though they trusted God and won his approval, none of them received all that God had promised them; For God wanted them to wait and share the even better rewards that were prepared for us."

That's hard.  It didn't turn out wonderful for everyone.  And it won't turn out wonderful for some of us. Christians are being killed in the middle east because of their faith.  But God is faithful.  It will all turn out right in the end.  There is a great day coming.