Are you struggling with faith?
You’re definitely not alone. I think we all do from time to time.
This week I was reminded of Abraham. He had one son. The Lord promised to give Abraham a nation. But when the Lord asked Abraham to kill his only son (the way in which he rightly assumed the nation would come), his mind must have went wild with thoughts.
It didn’t make sense.
Most people would hear that story and automatically think about how hard it was for him to kill his only son and they’d be right. That is a hard trial for sure. But there’s a bigger lesson behind that.
HOW was God going to give Abraham a nation if He took away his only son? God promised! God doesn’t lie, and yet to Abraham, he must have contemplated at least one doubtful thought in all that time. Take away his only son, you take away the promise.
As he traveled up the hill to sacrifice his only son, it must have felt like an eternity. Waiting to see how things would unfold, waiting to see God’s miracle be performed, waiting and watching. But in obedience, he went. He was fully willing to do something he did NOT want to do.
Why? Simply because God asked him to.
I think about my own life. God asks me to die to myself daily. He asks that I be willing to give up EVERYTHING for Him.
- My testimony
- My character
- People in my life
- Close friends
- Family
- My home
- My kids
- Life as I know it
I’ve walked through fire the past 13 years that I’ve been saved and I can stand here today and tell you that I have, through His grace, indeed given up ALL those things for Him at one point or another! 🙌 I’m proud of myself. Not that the strength comes from me, because it doesn’t, but that each time I have to give up something for God, it shows the world that I’m a true believer.
And if I’m going to be able to reach people for Christ in the future, in the way that HE wants me to (He wants me to be a public speaker one day), the world needs to see that truth in me. Otherwise, my witness is a sham and my use-ability for God is worthless.
Does He always take away what we are willing to give up? No. He doesn’t.
But He knows when we are truly willing to give up everything to follow Him or not.
In those times that He does ask us to give up things, He has something BETTER in store for you!!!
Sometimes God takes away things that you thought were good for you, but weren’t, in order TO MAKE ROOM in your life, for NEW things….BETTER things!
Don’t be disheartened if He asks you to give up something you really don’t want to give up. Trust me, He has MUCH, MUCH better plans for you!!! 💯 Be willing and hold fast to His word. He will bring you through ANYTHING you are going through!
