Today in this season, there’s a burning desire within to personally believe God past my reasoning, strategic thinking, and planning. Past my setbacks, schedules, and the appearances of delay. Past what He has actually done in the past to the seemingly imperfectly perfect, unexplainable miracles He wants to do in my future.
To believe God in the beginning, middle, and end.
A rhythm of taking Him simply at His word again and again and leaving the “why” and “how” up to Him. I want to not be afraid of change, but to lay my life and plans before God regularly and just say, “I trust You.” And if that means I’m carrying a child at ninety years of age, so be it!
You see, Abram had to believe God when God asked him to journey away from his family. Abram had to believe God when He separated from his dear nephew Lot, parting ways to potentially never see each other again. Abram had to believe God during this moment in time, when God promised Abram a nation, but he had no son, no heir. Abram had to continue to believe God when God told him to give up his son Ishmael. He had to believe God again when God spoke to him to sacrifice his son Isaac.
Are you noticing a pattern? Belief in God wasn’t a one-time, one-act kind of belief. It was a lifestyle Abram developed. A lifestyle of taking God at His word.
Abram had to believe God past his personal expectations and timeline.
If the “how” and “when” of our promises aren’t fully relinquished into the hands of God, we will grow discouraged and discontent in the journey.
Maybe you need to read that line again. I know I do. We must believe God past the details. Let Him take care of those; you and I just need to believe and obey. Simple belief and faith will always bring joy on the journey. Abram had to believe God when it was easy and when it was hard.
Here’s something to think about: true belief isn’t tested in the easy-breezy days of summer. True belief is tested through fi re. Anyone can believe that God is good when life is going their way. When it feels as if the sun is perpetually shining and the promises God spoke are being fulfilled in rapid succession. When it feels as if the heavens have opened wide and blessings are saturating our lives like a torrential downpour.
Yet how many of us cease to believe God when the going gets tough? When life isn’t going the way we planned. When it feels as if we are walking through a never-ending desert. When we’ve waited for twenty years for a promise to come to pass that God spoke to us when we were still teenagers. We begin to wonder if God is really “working all things together for good.”
Believing God through every season is a breeding ground for faith to bloom.
Without the hardships and blessings, how could God truly stretch our faith and cause a deep dependency on Him? Choose to believe Him even when the going gets tough. May your faith bloom in the driest days of summer and the cool downpours of spring.
Abraham had the strength to believe God, simply because He trusted God to be a God of His word. I want to tell you today that God deeply loves you and He is a good God. I want you to know that God always has your best in mind. He wants to use you in ways that will surpass your wildest imagination. This is who your God is.
Your view of who God is does not define Him. God knows who He is. He has been the same throughout all eternity, before you and I were even born. He has revealed an accurate picture of Himself throughout His Word and through the lives of others. He still speaks and shows His character today. He’s the God of the scriptures and the God of History. The God above ALL other gods. The God of love and forgiveness and mercy, but also the God of truth and holiness. He is Father and Friend, Savior and Lord. Know today that He has your best interest at heart in the scope of His kingdom and glorifying His name in the earth.
"May God grant you and I the courage to consistently, repetitively, simply, and honestly believe Him. May your faith be unrestrained and given the liberty to soar. May you have the faith to start, continue, and end well, my sweet friend."
Photo Credit: Askar Abayev on pexels.com
Design Credit: Milan Klusacek, milanklusacek.com
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