LEARNING TO TRUST

Day 9 Winning Edge Devotions

ROMANS 4: 18” In hope he (Abraham) believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. 20 No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.’”

One measure of our success as a football team is how far we grow in learning to trust. Any team is built on a foundational trust. We say that we want a team where players trust players, coaches trust coaches, players trust coaches, and coaches trust players.
When times get tough or the pressure rises, a trusting team will hang together and fight together. A team without trust will quickly disintegrate into useless individuals and the results are disastrous!
Trust is built in time as individuals give themselves to a cause bigger than themselves. The individual learns that he cannot rely on himself to accomplish the objective. As these individuals give themselves in energy, passion, sweat, and pain- they observe others giving the same sacrifice. Then they get a vision of what can happen if they all join together. When a team learns to give up self and give in to trusting their brothers, it is a beautiful experience.
Abraham grew in his ability to trust God. It took a long time of experience to follow the Lord this way. God was always faithful to His promise and Abraham learned to put stock in God.
When the pressures of doubt came, Abraham clung to his trust in God and refused to let go. He did not know how or when God would come through, he just knew that He would do as he always promised.
God’s Kingdom is always victorious and the gospel is never hindered. In the darkest moments of final despair is when God most wants to show up and conquer. God is a hero, and all He wants from us is to just keep swimming, keep swinging, keep praying, keep loving , and …..never, never , never lose hope.
It is important to note that Abraham had to grow in this faith, as we do. Jesus asked the question, "when the Son of Man returns, will He find faith on the earth?" I believe He is referring to this type of faith- if we have anxiety, fear, or are overcome by circumstance- aren't we implying that we really do not trust God to keep His promises?


Lord- may we walk in our faith- may it secure our hearts, not merely fall from loose lips. You are able to do what You say- You will do what You have promised...even when it seems the bleakest!