In Genesis we find the story of Abraham and his wife Sarah. A story of great faith. Yet it is not a faith that comes naturally or easily. So often we hear preachers, teachers and other people say that if you believe in God your life will be easy and, in the moments, you find a hard spell, you lacked faith. However, as I read the story of Abraham and Sarah, I came to realize that their faith was only in its infancy. Their journey had only begun. They didn’t lack faith. It takes a great amount of faith to walk away from everything you know and obey God. They just had a small amount of faith.

In Genesis 12:1-3 God tells Abraham to get out of the country, away from his father’s house and go to the land that He will show him. In verse two there is a promise from God to Abraham.
Genesis 12:2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; An you shall be a blessing.
Abraham listens and does as God told him. They travel and come to Egypt where we see the first instance of Abraham trading his integrity for security. A moment where Abraham’s faith in God was tested and found to be little. He tells the partial truth that Sarah is his sister and leaves out that she is his wife. But God, he proved himself faithful and protected Abraham and Sarah even when their faith was short.

Later we find a desperate Sarah, her trust in the Lord’s timing has waned. She wants children, she is getting no younger with each passing day, and she has a plan. She gives her handmaiden, Hagar, to her husband. Abraham listens to his wife. We find that in this one action; strife is brought into the household of Abraham and Sarah. And the Lord reminds them; this child is not the promise.
Genesis 17:19 Then God said, “No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him”

Has the lesson to wait and trust on God been learned yet? It does not seem so for yet again, in Genesis 20 we find Abraham trading his integrity for security. He again tells Sarah to tell the King that she is his sister. Once more we have a moment where faith is small. Even after the promise to make him a father of nations, Sarah a mother of nations, and that a child shall be born. None of these things can take place if Abraham or Sarah dies in these foreign lands. God’s promises would not be fulfilled, and God does not make promises that he does not keep.

A son is born. Finally, Abraham and Sarah see the promised child that would make them the parents of a nation.
Genesis 21:2 For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
The promise has been fulfilled.
Genesis 22:2 Then He said, take now your son, your only son Isaac, who you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.
I can only imagine the amount of faith it would take to agree to this. The task at hand to sacrifice the one thing God promised. A moment where we’d all flounder. To sacrifice your child! Yet Abraham obeyed God without question. When they arrived at the mountain, he handed the donkey to his two travel companions saying:
Genisis 22:5 And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey: the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.”

We? Did you catch that. We will come back to you. Abraham had faith, he believed no matter what happened on that mountain that God was good for his word. He and the promised son would come back down from that mountain somehow. He had faith in God’s plan even when he knew not what the plan was. Here we see the moment that all the previous tests led up to. The moments where each time, God showed up and proved to Abraham that he was a God of his word and would not lie to Abraham.

Faith cannot grow without being tested. It reminds me of young sapling trees. Flexible and weak. Yet each storm, each whipping wind, makes the tree stronger. It helps the tree to put in deeper roots, grow stronger bark and branches. Trees that weather the storm are some of the toughest trees as they grown. This is how faith works. We start off with very little in size and in duration. We trust God but the boat gets a little shaky and we cry out or like Abraham, we trade our integrity for security, instead of fully trusting God’s plan. And over time, with each moment of testing we find our faith is tougher, longer lasting. We find peace that no matter what happens, God is in control and all things will work for the good of those who love him. (Romans 8:28) It doesn’t mean it won’t be hard or difficult. What it means is that God’s strength is found in our weakness.
2 Corinthians 12:9 And He said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

So often we think that having faith means everything will be perfect, easy and happy. Yet Abraham and Sarah did not have it easy. It could not have been easy to relinquish their only son over to God, but they did. Each time our faith is tested is a moment for God’s strength and promises to be seen. Each moment of God’s power being shown is a moment for growth. It’s God, time and time again showing us who He is from Genesis to Revelations. Each day of our lives God shows up and never breaks his promise.

I pray each of you learn how great God is. Let our faith be tested and strengthened so that the glory of God shall be shown to those around us. Let us all boast in our weak moments for those are the moments we find God. We are never alone.
Deuteronomy 31:8 And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you, He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.
I pray you all write this on your hearts and trust in the Lord. Have faith that God will never let you down and trust that His plan is always the best even when it seems hard and we don’t understand. Be the tree that’s planted by the water, that has weathered the storms and grows in peace knowing the Lord Will Provide. As we travel on the journey of living a Jesus filled life may we always find ourselves in moments to grow our faith in God. Praying blessings and growth upon you all with love.