Late-night TV used to be filled with infomercials promising that whatever product they were selling — from miracle mops to countertop ovens — would “change your life.” Today, Instagram and TikTok influencers have picked up the mantle, convincing millions that the right face cream, travel mug, or gadget will finally give them what they’re looking for.

But let’s be real: deep down, we know none of those things really deliver lasting change. Why then do we fall for it again and again? It’s because something in all of us is searching. We feel that life isn’t as it should be — the brokenness, pain, and loss in the world remind us daily that we were made for something more.

That longing for life-change is not a marketing trick. It’s something God has placed in us. The good news of Jesus doesn’t promise a perfect life, but it does promise transformation that runs deeper and lasts forever.

The Life-Changing Message of Jesus

At Coast City Church, we believe Jesus’ message is life-changing — not in the shallow way of an infomercial, but in a way that endures. Hebrews 10 reminds us that the early church faced suffering, ridicule, and even the loss of everything they owned, yet they accepted it with joy because “they knew there were better things waiting for them that will last forever” (Hebrews 10:34).

That’s the difference: real life-change doesn’t mean life gets easier. Sometimes following Jesus actually makes life harder. But it anchors us in hope that outlasts every trial. Jesus doesn’t promise to remove every struggle, but He does promise to walk with us through them.

Faith in the Tension

Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as “the reality of what we hope for; the evidence of things we cannot see.” Faith holds together what we know to be true about God with what we actually experience in a broken world.

We believe God is good. We believe He has a plan. Yet life often feels out of control. Faith is the glue in between — the confidence that even when circumstances look bleak, God is still working, still good, and still faithful.

Faith isn’t wishful thinking. It’s not “I hope this works out.” It’s a confident trust that God’s unseen reality is greater than what we see in front of us.

Faith + Action = Real Change

The author of Hebrews then lists examples: Abel offering a wholehearted sacrifice, Enoch walking with God when the culture turned away, Noah building an ark for a flood he’d never seen, Abraham trusting God with both the unknown and the unthinkable.

The pattern is clear: faith always produces action. Real faith is never just words or private thoughts — it shows up in choices, obedience, and perseverance. As Hebrews 12 pictures it, faith is like running a race. You don’t win by sitting on the sidelines saying, “I believe in running.” You start moving.

At Coast City Church, we say: faith shines when it’s under pressure. It’s activated in the struggle. It keeps us moving forward when comfort would tempt us to stop.

Losing Distractions and Running with Endurance

So how do we cultivate this kind of faith? Hebrews 12 gives us a roadmap:

1. Lose the distractions. “Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up” (Hebrews 12:1). Not everything slowing us down is sinful — sometimes it’s just distraction. Maybe it’s endless scrolling, or chasing comfort, or clinging to something good that’s not God. Faith requires removing what keeps us from running free.

2. Run with endurance. Following Jesus isn’t a sprint. It’s a long run with grit, perseverance, and daily trust. Every act of obedience — big or small — is a step of faith that strengthens us.

3. Keep your eyes on Jesus. He’s both the finish line and the runner ahead of us. Hebrews 12:2 says Jesus endured the cross “because of the joy awaiting Him.” He looked beyond His suffering to a greater reality — and we can too. When we fix our eyes on Him, we’re reminded that He runs before us and with us.

Application: Faith and Grit in Real Life

What does this look like on Monday morning?

• Saying no to that habit or distraction the Spirit is nudging you to lay down.

• Choosing to trust God’s provision when finances feel tight.

• Speaking up for your faith even when it costs you friends or reputation.

• Persevering in prayer for someone you love, even when the answer hasn’t come yet.

Faith plus grit means we trust God enough to act, and we keep going even when it’s tough. It’s not flashy. It’s steady, everyday obedience. And it’s what carries us through.

Closing Encouragement

The world will keep selling you “life-changing” products, but only Jesus offers transformation that lasts forever.

You may feel the tension today — between what you believe and what you see. That’s where faith comes alive. Fix your eyes on Jesus. Strip away the distractions. Run with endurance.

Because better things are waiting for you, and they will last forever.