Is God Wearing You Out?

Life. Interrupted. Week 8 Day 1

Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!"

"Here I am," he replied. Then God said,

"Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about." Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey… Genesis 22:1-3 (NIV)

I’m not sure what is harder to believe: God’s request or Abraham’s compliance. Put yourself in Abraham’s shoes. What would be going through your head? “Are you kidding me? After all that we’ve been through to get this boy, now you want you want me to kill him? God, you are wearing me out on this.” Wouldn’t you feel frustrated and confused?

Abraham didn’t show any of these emotions. He just got up the next morning, saddled his donkey, and took Isaac up the mountain. Maybe Abraham believed that God would raise Isaac from the dead (Hebrews 11:17-19). Maybe Abraham had finally reached a place after several decades where he could trust God completely. He was at a very different place in his relationship with God. Abraham knew that he could trust God.

Throughout Abraham’s journey, he faced many failures and doubts, and he grew in his relationship with God. There really is no other place for a human to grow. Abraham started out more or less as a blank slate when he was called by God (Genesis 12). He trusted God enough to move, but he really didn’t know God.

When you begin to pile up Abraham’s problems: Sarai and the Egyptians, the promise and infertility, Hagar and Ishmael, Sodom and Gomorrah, doubting and laughter, you would think that Abraham’s faith would be devastated. Yet, the circumstances of his life provided fertile ground for Abraham to grow in his relationship with God. If Abraham had waited for things to calm down before he started growing spiritually, he still might be waiting today.

What test are you facing today? Is there something that God is asking you to give up? God will strip away everything that hinders our dependence on Him. The amount of struggle and drama is really up to you.