Doubts & Questions

Doubts and Questions are an everyday part of faith. Recently, I’ve been listening to sermons on Abraham and reading throughout Genesis and the promises God gives to Abraham throughout his life. The interesting part of the Bible that we don’t really realize how much time goes by in the stories. As we look at the life of Abraham, he’s well into his 100’s before he gets the promised son from 25 years earlier. Think about it, it takes 25 years for Abraham to get his blessed son Isaac. Waiting constantly for 25 years, just trusting that what God has said will come to pass. Incredible… 25 years!

As I was reading specifically in Chapter 15, I found that Abraham had his doubts in the promises of God. Let me clarify, Abraham had questions – not unbelief in that he didn’t turn his back on the promises of God, but honestly asks the Lord, “O Sovereign Lord, how can I know that I will get it?”. The fact of our faith is that it’s normal to ask questions, it’s normal to not understand the ways of God, and it’s completely okay and acceptable to be honest with God and say, “what’s the deal? I want to trust you, but I’m not sure how to do this because it seems like things aren’t really falling into place here, Lord.” Asking God for clarity and understanding, patience and endurance, faith and trust – are absolutely necessary and appropriate.

However, we then need to do as Abraham does in verse 6, “Abram believed the Lord.” When God tells us something or lays a desire on our heart and it just never seems to come to pass, we need to trust in the promise he has spoken. It’s so hard for us in our instant gratification society to wait and do it patiently. But the thing is, with God ALL things are possible as promised in Phil. 4:13. He is able to pick us up out of any situation and give us anything and everything we desire, but sometimes He has something better for us to learn while walking through the valley’s of life.

There are three ways then, to go about facing the obstacles in our lives:

1. Passively – hence trusting in God’s sovereignty. Trusting the word/promise He has laid on your heart and letting go of it until it comes to fruition- thus completely relying on and trusting in Him. The story that matches with this is when Abraham allows Lot to choose his land 1st after they are kicked out of Egypt. Lot chooses the richer land, but it’s not the land God promised to Abraham. So Abraham sits back and waits, trusting that the land God gave him is the land of His promise.

2. Actively – we go after the things that He has called us to. This is the story of Abraham saving Lot – when Abraham says, “Lord, I need to go and do this, so I’m trusting that you will be with me as I fight for Lot.” Stepping out in faith and trusting that God will carry you through that circumstance.

3. Prayerfully – this is when we go to the Lord in prayer and ask for a miracle in a certain circumstance. This is when Abraham goes to war against the nation of Sodom and through prayer and petition he pretty much says, “God, you have placed me in this battle that I cannot win, you know I can’t win, but I trust that with you by my side I will be victorious. Please do a miracle here, for without you I’m nothing.”


Where, in your life, do you currently find yourself when it comes to God's promises? Doubting? Or faithfully waiting passively, actively pursuing His plans and Goals, or Trusting prayerfully for a miracle?

We need to always remember that there is nothing that's too big for God. He has the ability to do anything and take the impossible and make them possible in our lives. Miracles still happen, and each of them are to be testament's to the blessings and care of God in our lives.

Check out Genesis 12 & 13 for more on all of this... good words! :-)