Whenever you find in your reading of the Scripture a reference to the eternal future, pause, dwell on it, thank God for it, rejoice in it. Whenever you have an overwhelming problem remind yourself you are a child of heaven and of glory you have an eternal destiny. Do this at every opportunity.
There is such a thing as pseudo-assurance, phoney assurance: a person who just assumes and is very complacent. ‘I am a Christian and I believe, therefore I am comfortable. I know I am walking with God and I am on the road to heaven.’ But this particular person is not living much as a Christian, only worships once a week and that is all. Broadly he or she has a cleaner life than the worldling, but does nothing for the Lord, says nothing for the Lord, and is not striving in holiness. He or she is never anxious about sin, never practices self-examination, is not growing any better, any kinder, any more teachable, is not for the Lord. And yet, there is a kind of pseudo-assurance. ‘I'm at peace. I am sure I am saved.’ Well of course, the devil wants you just where you are in a kind of false converted state, unconverted in other words. So he does not cast you into doubts, he does not cause you ever to question your faith. He does not trouble you with a sense of insecurity. But you have no service and no growth in character: that is pseudo-assurance.
But full assurance, real conviction, real certainty is based on this: ‘There has been a work of God in my life. That work of God is going on and I am concerned to improve and to walk better for the Lord and to serve him and to please him. And I need him constantly. I pray to him throughout the day, and I look to him and I seek his forgiveness and ask his help. I want to be of service to him.’ These are the anxieties and the thoughts of somebody who is truly saved. Well, you can have real assurance because you only have to look within and you know there is a work going on within you. There is advance. There is a process of sanctification. You are for the Lord, and your heavenly walk means more to you than anything else; heaven is in view.
Do not be sluggish, dull in your spiritual duties. ‘Oh it’s time for prayer; I suppose I must pray. ‘Oh dear, it's time for this; it’s time for that.’ Let us pull ourselves together when that comes into us, says the writer. Our times of prayer, our gatherings for the Bible study and prayer, our spiritual duties, our self-examination, our praise, our praying for needs; these things should be done with earnestness.
‘Who through faith and patience.’ ‘Patience’ is nowadays too gentle a word. ‘Long-suffering’ is the original, long bearing with all the problems. ‘They are nothing to me. I'm on the way to heaven by God's grace.’ Consider the promises that focus on glory and eternal life. We are given a start, and we continue with eagerness keeping our mind on all these promises.