Abraham, Our Hero of Faith
How does one become a "hero of the faith"? We might consider a number of different areas to answer that question. What jumps out to most people, however, is in the area of "testing." Exhibiting toughness, grit, and determination is not hard when things go your way, but what about when storms of difficulty threaten to blow you away? Steadily remaining faithful through the hurricanes of doubt and difficulty is one step toward getting a nomination to the Heroes Hall of Fame. Today's hero of faith is a man named Abraham. Abraham was a great example of courage and faithfulness to God.
As we read about Abraham (in the book of Genesis), we see that he passed test after test. One test is what I call the "where" test. When God called Abraham to hit the road and follow Him, Abraham did so even though God did not tell Abraham where the journey would take him. All God would say, when questioned, was "I'll take care of you." Faithful obedience without all the details is not easy for any of us.
Abraham also passed the "when" test. When God said that He would bless and take care of Abraham, there were times that those blessings took years to materialize. In a world that constantly seems to ask, "What have you done for me today?" it can be extremely hard to wait. Abraham was willing to accept that God had it all figured out. God's timeline was okay with Abe. When we are called to wait, doubt can easily creep into our minds and hearts. As Abraham was placed in the crucible of testing, he learned that faith and courage will not grow unless one is willing to wait and endure.
Perhaps the most difficult test we often face is the "how" test. When you face the growling wolf of adversity, the fangs of potential hurt and failure look quite large. When your back is up against the wall, the enemy can seem quite intimidating. Despite every difficulty that Abraham faced, he knew that God was big enough to handle things. A courageous faith believes that God knows how to do the job, that God will come through. As a matter of fact, genuine faith trusts God to do what we cannot do! Many were the situations where Abraham did just that.
Where are your steps headed? Are you facing trials? Do the gale-force winds of adversity blow in your face? If so, you would do well to consider the example of Abraham. It would be good for you to remember that God calls you to believe that He will do what He has said He will do! This is the basis of courageous faith. Courageous faith will strengthen our steps when we need it most. When trials come (and they will), do not curse your situation. Go to God and trust that He is big enough to lead you wherever He knows it is best for you to go. Keep looking up!