Let's Have Abraham's Faith!

One of the things I always want to do more of is read my Bible daily. I struggle to find the time and to stay committed so today I am committing myself, once again, to spend more time on the Word of God. He gave us the gift of His Word, which is the gift of life, where we find all the answers we look for.

Today I decided to read Romans. I have read it many times but every time I read this book, I learn one more thing that touches my heart deeply. The first few chapters talk about Abraham’s faith and how much he believed God, particularly in Romans 4: 20 says, “Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was absolutely convinced that God was able to do anything he promised. And because of Abraham’s faith, God declared him to be righteous.” Wow, Abraham NEVER wavered in believing what God had promised him! And he was ABSOLUTELY convinced that God was able to do ANYTHING He promised!

I started asking myself, “Do I have that kind of faith?” The answer is no. I waver. I doubt. I question if God will come through for me. I even question His promises to me personally. Did I hear from God directly and personally? Or was that thought or desire to do something from my flesh? Do I question the Bible? No, absolutely not. But what I question is my ability to hear from God when it comes to my own life. Sometimes, when we want something in life, our desire is so strong that we think God gave us that desire and it’s simply our flesh. Other times, God puts a desire in our hearts, which is part of our unique calling. So, how do we differentiate between the two?

What I have done in the past and has worked most of the time for me, is that I ask myself deeper questions. For example, I ask, “Will doing this (whatever it is I’m struggling to figure out) benefit me only? Or would doing this benefit others?” Also, “Do I have peace following my heart on this particular issue?” “Does this activity fall within my calling? “Is doing this going to bring glory to God or to me?” “Do I have confirmation from other believers who are close to me?” This particular question can be tricky because sometimes the very people that are close to you, actually discourage you from following the calling in your life. Why? Because they want to protect you and want you to be safe. Many times following the calling can be dangerous, risky, and even seem irresponsible, when looked from the worldly perspective. Many times what God asks to do (or believe) is not conventional or the norm and we must exercise wisdom and discernment—in addition to our faith—in order to follow through.

Romans 4:16 (NLT) states, “For Abraham is the father of all who believe. That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, ‘I have made you the father of many nations.’” Abraham believed God even though he never really saw (in this life) ALL the humans who believed in God after him. Like Abraham, who was promised to be the “father of many nations,” God promises certain things to each of us and we must have Abraham’s faith in order to see them through.

Today is a new day, a new year and I want to encourage you to renew your faith in God. Believe in Him again and more deeply. Trust Him that He wants the best for you and that He will come through for you. He will protect you and be with you throughout this New Year. And most importantly, He will always love you!