Once, when I was in college and running out of money, all I had to eat was peanut butter sandwiches. Then the bread ran out. All I had left was a bit of peanut butter. I was getting worried. When my IRS check came in the mail, I shouted, “Hallelujah!”
Later, something came to my mind as I was studying the Word. It was as if the Lord said, “You didn’t jump up and down last week when you read the promise in My Word that I would take care of you. Yet you’re excited to get one check from the IRS because you believe their promise. What about My promise?”
I’m not the first person to struggle with trusting God’s provision. God made many wonderful promises to Abram, but he struggled to trust that God would fulfill them. In Genesis 15, Abram had been under great spiritual, physical, and emotional stress. He was hopeless, and he brought it before the Lord.
God reminded Abram that He was Abram’s shield and great reward (see v. 1). But Abram’s response reflected his circumstances. “Abram said, ‘Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?’ Then Abram said, ‘Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!'” (vv. 2-3).
God had promised to give Abram descendants many times. In Genesis 12:2, God said to him: “I will make you a great nation.” You need offspring to become a nation, but Abram hadn’t fathered a single child. And in Genesis 13:16, God promised, “I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered.”
They were wonderful, glorious, gracious promises. But where were the children? Abram was perplexed. God answered his perplexity with a promise, not an explanation. “And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, ‘This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir'” (Genesis 15:4).
When we’re down and out, we can’t live on explanations. What we really need are promises. That’s what gives us hope.
God wasn’t harsh with Abram. He was patient, gracious, and loving—He repeated the same promise He had been telling him for ten years. It’s a great comfort to know God doesn’t expect perfection. He wants to help us by filling us with His spirit, to equip us for the Christian life.
God knows that we fail. He’s willing to let us make mistakes, but He doesn’t give up on us. When we forget God’s promises, He is gracious to remind us. We may see something while studying the Word and say, “I remember that. Okay, Lord, I got it.” But the very next day, we’ve forgotten. Then, a week later, we might read His promises again and remember His love and care for us.
The Lord reminded Abram of His promise with a perspective shift. “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.’ And He said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be'” (see v. 5).
I suggest you do the same thing when you haven’t seen God’s promises come to fruition. When you’re down and out—when you feel forsaken by God—step outside and look up at the night sky. Take a moment to consider: The One I’m trusting in did that.
Looking up can improve our perspective as we remember what God can do. Just look up and say, “Wow. God did that. God can handle my situation.”
