Does it ever feel like God tells you to do something obsolete? Like you act in faithfulness, but then nothing happens? The Holy Spirit leads you to talk to that person or apply for that job or not go to that place, but then nothing actually comes of it?
Faithfulness is about doing what God asks of us even when it doesn't make sense, even when it feels pointless. Abraham was a prime example of this in my mind. God told him to go to an unknown land, leaving his friends and family behind, and Abraham never got to fully take possession of it. At least in that case his descendants received the promised land, but God also instructed him to take his only son up a mountain and offer him as a sacrifice, only to be stopped at the last minute. What was the point of that? A sick test? An opportunity to see if Abraham was really willing to murder his child for God?
Sometimes, we don't see the "why" behind God's instructions. We're just given instructions and told to obey, trusting Him with the rest. Abraham trusted God would hold true to His word, even though he didn't get to experience all the blessings himself. He believed that he and his son would return from the mountain, even though God had told him to sacrifice his son (see Genesis 22, in v. 5 he basically says "we'll be back"). I've wrestled with why God would ask something like that of His servant. What's the point of asking you to sacrifice something if you're not going through with accepting the sacrifice? Why would God knowingly request something of Abraham that was so likely to cause a strain between father and son? We don't see in Scripture that Abraham and Isaac stayed or lived together after that from what I can tell. Plus, I can't imagine how Isaac must've felt after the whole experience, other than traumatized. I'd be pretty shaken up if God told my father to kill me on a mountaintop. I don't know how many people would still put their faith and trust in God after that.
Yet God used the whole experience to see just how faithful Abraham was. Moving away from home without so much as a map where he was going was just the beginning. Then he believed God would bless him with offspring as numerous as the stars and give him all the land he could see. God blessed Abraham immensely through the years for his faithfulness too, even though he never saw the results of those promises. Finally comes the sacrifice, telling him to give up his son. It was God's big test for Abraham to see if he would truly remain faithful that God would keep his promises, even without his son. In the end, God stopped Abraham and told him not to kill the boy. Abraham passed the test by being willing to give up his only son, showing that God was more important than everything and everyone in his life.
Are we the same way? If God told you to leave your family and move away, or to quit your job, or to give up your spouse or kids, would you do it? Are you willing to give up everything and everyone for our Lord?
Abraham remained faithful in the big and small things. Sure, he messed up a couple times along with way (like by lying about Sarah), but he was human. We all mess up sometimes. In Hebrews 11, Abraham wasn't remembered for his mistakes, but for his faithfulness, especially in the big things. But how could he have been faithful in such big ways without also being faithful with the little things? Jesus taught in Luke 16 that the person who is faithful with little will also be faithful with much. It starts small.
How faithful are you? Are you faithful to God with little decisions, following his lead and trusting that he knows what's best?
You may be wondering how to even be faithful. Here's a few questions to help you figure it out: Do you use your time, money, and energy for yourself or for God? Do you make decisions based on your heart's desires or based on what the Bible says is right? Are you planning for the future you want to have, or the future God is building for you? If your answers fall into the "you" category more than the "God", then you're not being faithful, and that's where you need to start.
I must confess, I haven't always been obedient in the little things. God's told me to do something and I didn't, or the Holy Spirit urged me to say no but I said yes instead. We all stumble, and if you claim you haven't, then you're lying to yourself and stumbling right now. Acknowledge and confess your sins, your disobedience, your lack of faithfulness to God, and He will forgive and offer you a second chance (and third, and fourth, and so on... thank you God!). I must say, the times when I've been faithful and obeyed God, I've definitely seen blessings follow (even if hardship followed too). But those times I didn't listen, didn't follow God's instructions, those were followed by guilt, sin, or even just dealing with more trouble than I otherwise would have. When I say God's way is best, I'm speaking from experience and His Word! Trusting and being faithful to God has way more benefits than disobedience, and it's the right thing. Doesn't get much better than that, does it?
What's keeping you from being faithful to God, or what areas do you need to work on to grow in faithfulness?
There was one year (I may have shared this before, sorry if I'm repeating myself) where I asked God to grow me. That was 2019, hands-down the hardest year of my life, (until the next year that is, and the next, and so on...). Ever since then, I've still been growing, but growing's hard. I'm sure it wasn't easy for Abraham walking up that mountain knowing his son was being sacrificed, but he did it anyway. When you pray for God to increase your faithfulness, to grow you in him, to help you trust him more, it's going to be a struggle. You'll have to fight off evil thoughts and influences, have to push through tragedies and difficulties, and will probably feel alone for parts or even most of it. You're not alone, know that now, but it feels like it during the growing periods sometimes. I wouldn't be surprised if even Abraham and Isaac wondered where God was during that climb up the mountain. We know David felt alone when running away from Saul (see Psalm 13). Even worse, Jesus felt alone and cried out from the cross, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27). The hardest times, the worst growing experiences, are often the times we feel the most alone, but God is still there. He's still being faithful to you, working to bring you future blessings and help you become more like Jesus through those dark times. And on the other side of those hardships, there's light. Abraham and Isaac walked down that mountain together, David became king, and Jesus came back from the dead.
I made it through some pretty terrible experiences. I've had multiple people tell me I never should've had to go through some of what happened, never should have had to be in that position, but that I did well in spite of it. That's not because I'm so great, because I absolutely screwed up in there too, but I did my best to follow God's instructions and remain faithful to Him above all else. Now, I'm a little older and wiser, and hopefully a little more like Jesus than I was before. It wasn't easy, but I can see how God has been able to use and grow me through everything that happened, and I'm grateful for the blessings that have come from that faithfulness despite the trials. I never understood before, but that's why James is so eager to thank God when trials come (James 1). You continue to experience sanctification, the process of constantly, daily becoming more like Jesus. It's painstakingly hard, but it's beautiful on the other side.
All this to say, I have a challenge for you: be faithful to God, every day. And then see what good comes of it. I guarantee the blessings will be worth it, especially in eternity.
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