‘These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth’ (Hebrews 11.13).

Benefit of the Spirit

Can there be any greater privilege and source of power than to have the Holy Spirit as our resident Divine Guest? We are told in James 4.5 that the Holy Spirit yearns jealously for believers, to keep them from the world and close to Christ.

The Spirit moves the believer’s conscience to warn of sin. He also moves their hearts when they read the Scriptures prayerfully, deepening their understanding. And at times they are so moved that they experience an unusual elevation of spirit, because the Spirit grants such a clear grasp and appreciation of what is read. As believers resist and mortify sin, the Holy Spirit strengthens them, enabling them to succeed. As they strive to pursue better attitudes, it is the Spirit who helps them to achieve love, joy, peace, and all the other elements of the fruit of the Spirit. To ‘walk in the Spirit’ is to have a hold on divine power, and to have the joy of certain progress in the journey of sanctification.

Benefit of Providence

Another priceless benefit of our pilgrimage is the certainty that the Lord superintends our route, employing every situation to our eternal spiritual good, and weaving the strands of life to serve his purposes for us.

An unbeliever may take a job in another country, and find nothing turns out as he expected, and the whole venture is a terrible mistake. He may say to himself, ‘I got myself into this mess, and having made my bed I must lie in it. I have signed a contract, for so many years; it will be miserable, but I only have myself to blame.’

The believer’s pilgrimage is never like that, because he is able to say, ‘The Lord called me to my spiritual journey and he will be my guide and will see me through.’ What a difference! We are called by none other than the living God, by the Saviour of the world. When he calls, he keeps. We say, ‘He will surely conduct me through to the end of the journey. I am not a volunteer, but a called person. The Lord has given me the status of a temporary resident here, and I know that –

He who has led me hitherto
Will lead me all my journey through.

‘He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.’ This is the work of Christ, who cannot fail. He showed us himself dying on Calvary for our sin, and we fell at his feet in repentance and faith, answering his call. On this journey we are not tourists, but called people, and he will providentially superintend our journey.

Benefit of Special Blessings

Here is another remarkable blessing of our pilgrim journey. It is not like a trek through a vast desert lacking any vestige of relief. This world certainly is a desert to believers, but there is many an oasis to refresh and lift our spirits. There is, of course, an oasis in our life every day, when we are with the Lord and his Word. And sometimes there are seasons of special happiness, tranquility, blessing and usefulness. And then there is the rich oasis of fellowship with other members and our spiritual family, only forfeited by lofty remoteness or criticism and gossip.

Then there are the countless times we stumble across an ‘oasis of delight’ through significant answers to prayer, fresh evidence of God’s power. The Lord has not left his people without encouragements, comforts and tokens of his care along the route.