By Chris Simpson
A generation ago, if you had talked about, “the cloud,” no one would have known what you meant. Now it is part of daily life. Every email, every photo, every document – it all lives in the cloud. Accessible anytime. Anywhere. We hardly notice it anymore. But it connects everything, and we depend upon it.
The Bible speaks of another cloud. It is much older, and far more important: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:1-2). If the digital cloud keeps our information close, the biblical cloud keeps our faith alive. It whispers, saying to us, “You are not alone.”
Work does not always feel that way. Executives sit in corner offices, bearing pressure no one else sees. Entrepreneurs labor late into the night, desperately trying to pull something out of nothing. Employees slip into meetings where faith feels invisible, maybe even unwelcome. The creeping sense of being “the only one” can drain endurance fast.
That is when you need to remember the cloud – the biblical cloud. The writer of Hebrews is pointing to those who endured before us – Abraham, Moses, Rahab, David. People with messy stories. Complicated lives. But through it all, they trusted God. They carried their faith into impossible moments.
Best of all, the cloud of the Scriptures did not evaporate in the first century. It is still here, all around us.
Professionals walking into offices in Nairobi and São Paulo. Believers sitting in boardrooms in Singapore, classrooms in Toronto, and hospitals in New Delhi. Women and men who carry their faith into places where it is easier to hide. Leaders who choose honesty when shortcuts would advance their careers. Employees who serve others when ambition whispers, “Take more for yourself.” We are not running alone.
Hebrews does not stop at encouragement. It gets practical. Endurance means setting things down. “Lay aside every weight,” it says. Some of those weights are obvious – sin, compromise, destructive habits. But others are disguised as virtues: Perfectionism. Relentless ambition. The need to control every outcome. The very things that win promotions can also fracture a soul. Endurance does not come from holding tighter. It comes from letting go. Letting Christ carry what you cannot.
And endurance is not just about release. It is about focus. “Look to Jesus,” we are instructed. Jesus is not only the example of faith – He is its source. He ran the race before us. Endured the cross. Bore its shame. And now He sits at the right hand of God. The witnesses show us it is possible. But Jesus makes it inevitable – because He is the author and finisher of your faith.
Here is the invitation: When you feel alone in the marketplace, access the cloud described in the book of Hebrews. Remember those who endured before you. Remember those walking beside you right now, even if unseen. Set down the weights that slow you down. Fix your eyes on Jesus. And keep running.
The finish line is closer than you think.
© 2026. C.C. Simpson is dedicated to fostering a bold and triumphant Christian faith within the global marketplace. Before becoming President of CBMC International, Chris dedicated 28 years to a distinguished career in the public sector – as a Commanding Officer in the U.S. Marine Corps; and serving in the U. S. Secret Service, responsible for protecting seven American presidents and leading elite teams in complex, high-stakes international missions. With his wife Ana, Chris resides in Boca Raton, Florida.
Reflection/Discussion Questions
- When have you felt most alone in your professional life? How does Hebrews 12:1–2 and the idea of a “cloud of witnesses” reshape that feeling of isolation?
- What are some “weights” you carry in your workplace – habits, ambitions, or fears – that may not be sinful but quietly drain your endurance in faith? What might it look like to lay them aside?
- The cloud includes not only the heroes of Hebrews 11, but also believers across the globe today. How can remembering that you are part of a worldwide family of faith strengthen your perseverance at work?
- Hebrews tells us to run with endurance by “looking to Jesus.” What does it look like, practically, to fix your eyes on Christ in the middle of meetings, deadlines, or business pressures?
NOTE: If you would like to explore more on endurance in the Christian life and workplace, consider these Bible passages: Romans 2:7, 15:4-5; 1 Corinthians 15:58; Galatians 6:9; 2 Timothy 4:7-8; James 1:12
Challenge for This Week
Set your course. Trust that you have led with righteousness and planned with godly intention; then rest in it. You do not need to hustle for the last word or fight to fill the silence. The confidence of a faithful trajectory lets you stand still without backing down, and it preaches louder than panic ever could.
This week, resolve not to just fill the air with words that come to mind. Steward your silence. Because sometimes, the loudest act of faith in the marketplace is a choice – the choice not to speak. You might find it helpful to discuss this with someone else, receiving and giving encouragement, and praying for God’s wisdom regarding when to speak, and when not to speak.
