“How are you doing?”
“O, you know, just same ole, same ole. Life, work, church, nothing exciting. Get up in the morning, go to work, try to make enough to keep our heads above water, come home, eat supper, watch a little TV, and go to bed. O course, start all over in the morning. Seems like a hopeless cycle of just living! I sometimes wonder what happened to all those promises I thought I received from the Holy Spirit.”
“I understand. I’ve been there, done that, and have a closet full of tee shirts. Let me encourage you. The Lord is just preparing you for the next phase of your life. He will fulfill the promises He gave you.”
Faith isn’t merely a passive belief system. It is a journey we all walk through. Some advance, and others stagnate. Abraham made this journey. Hebrews 11 records that he experienced four stages of growth in faith. He began with 1) simple faith to receive God’s gift and went to the Promise Land (v8); 2) after that, for many years, he demonstrated faith to ‘just live’ trusting the Lord (v9); 3) Abram and Sari reached a point they needed faith for a miracle for the birth of Isaac, which God had promised 25 years earlier (v9); 4) finally his ultimate faith came when Abraham showed he had enough faith even to sacrifice his promised son (v17). Some never reach the third or fourth levels. But every Christian experiences periods when they ‘just live’ everyday life. We will quickly realize it takes a lot of faith ‘just to live.’
During his time of ‘just living’, Abraham managed his herding business, rescued Lot, and brought peace to conflicts. And Sarah managed her household, cleaned the tent, and prepared the meals. Both lived the ordinary life of everyday routines. But what about God’s promise of an heir? I have to wonder if Sarah would say to Abraham each month, “Well, no baby this month!” Imagine their fireside conversations: “Abe, you must have misunderstood what God said. I’m too old for this.” “Honey, maybe you’re right. Perhaps we should adopt.” Sarah adds, “Well, I could always use Hagar as a surrogate. She can birth the baby, and I’ll take it as mine.”
We don’t know what went through their thoughts, but we do see they moved from faith to logic and got ahead of God. They did adopt and did have Ishmael through Hagar. In their time of ‘just living’, their hopes did fade. In fact, when the angel came again and informed Abraham that after 24 years of ‘just living’ he and Sarah would have a son in the coming year, Sarah actually laughed. But a lesson for us is this—in their time of ‘just living’, they still served God. By faith, they lived.
What about you? Are you in that time of ‘just living?’ Nothing exciting is happening. Hearing from God, feeling His presence, and being overjoyed with His love, seems only a distant memory. When someone asks us how you’re doing, you reply, “Same ole, same ole, ‘just living’. You may even question, “Maybe it was just my excitement during the revival and wasn’t really something from God.” And all those promises you thought God had given you. “Must have misunderstood. Too old now.”
Here’s the encouraging news. Living faith is only the second level of Abraham’s faith journey. Keep living by faith, and you’ll get your miracle. Remember, the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. (Rom 11:29) This includes His will for your life and all the promises He has given you through the years. Your hope may have faded a bit, or you think it’s too late. You may even have tried to help God out a bit, like Abraham and Sarah. But none of that matters. The essential factor is that you are faithful to God and serving Him the best you can in your time of ‘just living’. We aren’t aware of all God is doing in us during these times. Yet, God is still working even when you don’t perceive it. He hasn’t forgotten His promises. He is just getting you ready.
Sustaining Word for the Week: In your living, remember He’s getting you ready for your miracle. So, continue to live by faith, or, as it could be translated, continue to live faithfully.