The concept of a ‘reprieve’ is a beautiful one. It means “to give relief or deliverance for a time.”

Spiritual reprieve centers around the concept that God’s children never suffer perpetual earthly misery, but rather that those who belong to Him have hope there will always be a reprieve, or respite, from earthly toil and strife, until we reach our final and eternal rest with Christ in heaven. 

This could come in the form of a day of mental clarity and peace in the midst of a heavier season, some weeks of respite from depression, when the light at the end of the tunnel is easier to see, or a season of life that just feels less weighty than it did before. Even when things feel meaningless and empty, glimmers of hope and our faith are what get us through the hard and help us trust that God is indeed working for our good and His glory.

We see this reprieve discussed throughout scripture in the Lord’s promise to deliver rest to His people, the Israelites. Exodus 33:14 is an example of this, for in the midst of Moses’ leadership of the “stiff-necked” Israelites, God promises rest and His presence to guide and direct them.

We will not experience perfect peace this side of heaven, but God is kind and gracious to grant us temporary reprieve from our pain and suffering, and it is this reprieve that is undeserved but given as a gift to allow us to persevere amidst the storms and struggles we will face in this life.