3 Ways To Have Faith Like Abraham

I want to have faith like Abraham.

But when life is hard … kids are crying … bills are due … you haven’t showered in days …. faith is the last thing you are thinking about!

Sometimes I mix up faith with other things. Belief for relief smells like faith. Hope for rest tomorrow looks like faith.

Even though Abraham is known as a great man of faith, he failed many, many times! I love that part of his story because it gives me hope that I can be a woman of faith, despite my failures in seasons of doubt.

One verse on faith I don’t particularly like is Hebrews 11:1: “But faith is the assurance of all things hoped for but not seen.” I think the part I want to change is the part that says “not seen.” I want it to say, all things hoped for that will be seen soon!

As a life coach for single women, I like to ask questions that reveal what is going on in the heart. Because life is so busy, they tend to overlook their own needs for the needs of others. When the heart is ignored, it can become hurt and betray itself. I think that’s why the Bible says the heart is deceitful. Because it reveals something is going on, but it’s not always the truth. When we find out what we believe in our hearts, we can defeat lies we believe in our minds and embrace truth in our spirits. When we know the truth, it will set us free.

But we must have faith that God is in the midst of our messy lives.

I truly believe there is no stronger woman than a single mom. That strength is cultivated in the prayer closet as much as it’s prepared in the laundry room. But there is a cost to such strong faith that most people can’t understand. And sometimes, it’s an expense you’d rather forgo.

If you and I were sitting down talking about how you asked how to keep the faith when days turn into weeks and weeks turn into months and months turn into years … I’d ask you:

What are you hoping, believing and waiting for?

Is your faith draining you or giving you energy?

Does faith feel like effort or are you at peace?

Sometimes we have faith in the wrong things. Faith for relief, answered prayer or even sleep. But we are to believe in a God who fulfills His promises and His goodness towards us.

When I remember what Abraham had to go through, one thing that always stands out to me is that he didn’t give up believing God, no matter how bad things looked. He believed in the promise-maker, even when he couldn’t understand how the promise itself would come to pass.  I think that is why he is an example of great faith.

Abraham persevered in:

Trust

Romans 4:20-21 says, “No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.”

Abraham was 100 years old and was believing in God to fulfill His promise. In his weakness he still trusted God (“no distrust”) and didn’t doubt (“convinced”). He knew God was able to do what He promised. I think that somewhere in his life he plain-out KNEW God! As I grow in knowing God, I grow stronger in believing in His promises, even when I don’t see them. I don’t grow more convinced of the promise of God, but more convinced that God is who He says He is! The promise isn’t the important part. God is the important part.

Righteousness 

Romans 4:3b says, “Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness.” 

Aren’t you glad it doesn’t matter what you DO? I praise God that He doesn’t give to me because I am good. Because my best day isn’t good enough for His good gifts. And my worst day doesn’t make me lose any of His gifts. I am reminded that my righteous relationship with God (because of Jesus) brings glory to God. Not my works or perfect execution of service or tasks.

Hope

Romans 4:18a says, “In hope he believed against all hope.”

Abraham couldn’t see the way the promise would play out. But he believed! I don’t know about you, but when I believe something, even if I can’t see it, supernaturally that belief (faith) bears the fruit of hope. Hope drives out everything that comes against it. Faith fueled by hope is the reason single moms are so strong. They have to have enough hope for the littles who count on them.

No matter where you are in your walk with God … no matter the faith or lack thereof … no matter what negative or positive things people say about you… no matter your failures or victories ….

God is pleased with you. Faith as small as a mustard seed is just looking up to heaven with a sigh.

May you be strengthened in your innermost being that the God who knew you in your mother’s womb knows what you need as a single mother.

He has faith in you.

This post was originally written for the ministry at The Life of a Single Mom.