Trusting the Process of Growth

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Bible Reading

Genesis 24

Devotional Thoughts

In the Post “The Prayer of a Righteous Man,” I wrote about the kind of faith that can curse a fig tree and move a mountain (Matt 17:20-21; Matt 21:20-22). In Genesis 22 we see God testing Abraham’s faith as he commands him to offer Isaac. This “test” appears to not be testing to see if Abraham had faith. God had already declared that Abraham had faith. He credited righteousness to Abraham because of his faith (Gen 15:6). I think Genesis 22 is God refining Abraham’s faith, like Peter describes in 1 Peter 1:5-8. As a result of Abraham seeing God provide, he has no doubt that God can and will provide a bride for his son. (Gen 24:3-4)

When Abraham’s servant questions Abraham’s faith, Abraham answered, “The Lord, the God of heaven, brought me from the home of my father and from the land of my relatives, and he solemnly promised me that he would give this land to my descendants. HE WILL send his angel before you, so that you can get a wife there for my son.” (Gen 24:6-8)

Abraham had complete and confident faith in God. As the servant witnessed Abraham’s faith, it was contagious. In Gen 24:12-14 Abraham’s servant prayed, “Lord, God of my master Abraham, give me success today and keep your promise to my master.” Before he had even finished praying, Rebecca arrived. (Gen 24:21) He kept watching her to see if the Lord had given him success. (Gen 24:21) Later when the servant tells the story of what God did he says, “Praise the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has faithfully kept his promise to my master. The Lord has led me straight to my master’s relatives.” (Gen 24:26-27)

I believe if the servant had the words of 1 Peter 1:8-9 he would have agreed wholeheartedly. “Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

Declarations of Truth

  1. From 1 Peter 1:8-9 I recognize that the testing of my faith is to enable me to see him and love him more deeply. I want a deeper love for him.
  2. I choose today to trust the process of growth. (I am not asking for trials, nor am I asking God to test my faith.) I choose to trust His process of growth in my life, claiming the following truths:
    a. Rom 5:3-5 God’s desire is to produce in me a greater love for him.. through “testing.”
    b. James 1:2-4 the “testing” of my faith will produce steadfastness which will result in God making me complete, not lacking anything.
    c. Heb 12:11 God’s discipline (testing) always yields peace and righteousness.  
  3. When I trust God, when I believe God to do what He says, my faith is contagious. (Gen 24:26-27)
  4. We grow in conducive environments. (John Maxwell, 15 laws of growth) I want to be the catalyst of an environment that encourages growth, like Abraham was to his servant.

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