Have you ever prayed and felt like nothing was happening? In this episode of Faith Boost, Pastor Andrew McLennan reminds us that even key figures in the Bible have felt the same. Today, he offers practical insights to help strengthen your faith with timeless, relevant ideas.
In Genesis 16, we learn about Abraham and Sarah, who faced tough challenges throughout their faith journey. God had promised them a son many years earlier, but by this time, Sarah was 75 and Abraham was 85.
After waiting a long time and seeing other families with children, they started to doubt if God would keep His promise. This story shows a common struggle; it can be hard to trust God when we don’t see any signs that He is working.
‘They started getting discouraged,’ says Andrew. ‘They started to think that maybe God wasn’t going to answer the prayer the way they thought He was. But this is the problem with all of us as humans. We start to trust in our mind and not trust in our hearts.’
Proverbs 3:5 tells us, Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not depend on your own understanding. This verse reminds us that faith means trusting God, even when we can’t make sense of things. In today’s world, where we rely a lot on facts and proof, believing in God can feel challenging.
Misunderstanding God’s Timing
As time went on, Abraham and Sarah grew more frustrated. They became so desperate that Sarah suggested a way to speed up God’s promise. She proposed that Abraham have a child with Hagar, their maidservant. This decision came from impatience and misunderstanding of God’s timing. Abraham and Sarah, feeling too old to have a child naturally, tried to solve the problem themselves, which led to more difficulties.
People often criticise Abraham and Sarah for their lack of faith. However, it is important to understand that we all struggle with doubt at times. The key takeaway is not to be too hard on their decisions but to recognise our own tendencies to let doubt cloud our faith. Faith is about trusting with our hearts, not just our minds.
‘When it comes to faith,’ says Andrew, ‘it’s an action of the heart. Faith is out of your spirit. Your faith should not be intellectual. It should be spiritual.’
After many years of waiting and making mistakes, Abraham and Sarah finally turned back to a true faith. When Abraham was 99 years old, he finally saw God’s promise fulfilled when Isaac was born. Their story shows us that our faith journey may be hard and include wrong turns, but returning to God can lead to incredible things.
‘This is the secret of great faith,’ says Andrew. ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Sarah and Abraham eventually went back to believe in God, and supernaturally, God brought His word to pass.’
Make sure you tune into Faith Boost and let your faith grow! It’s perfect for your busy schedule and available anytime on Vision’s website and app. Listen to Andrew’s full message below, and join us next time for another episode of Faith Boost!
