Hope Against Hope

Delaney Johnston penned our devotional post this week. Stop by the contributor’s page to learn more about her.

Just recently, as I was reading through one of my favorite passages in Scripture, Romans 4, I learned something new—something that I had never noticed before. It encouraged me greatly, and my prayer is that it might encourage you, too.

Here Paul recounts the faithfulness of God’s servant Abraham, specifically recording his fight for hope against hope. In other words, when Abraham’s faith could have faltered (and sometimes it did), and when all the odds seemed to be against him (and they really were), Abraham continued forward. 

He continued trusting (despite his distrust). He continued obeying (despite his disobedience). And He continued believing that God would fulfill His promises (even if circumstances seemed to indicate otherwise). 

In fact, Paul writes in verses 19-22, “And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.” 

Wow, right?

Even when it seemed that all odds were against him, Abraham staggered not. 

Even when it felt like his hopes would never be fulfilled, Abraham didn’t grow weak in faith. 

And even when the call to wait had weighed heavy on his mind and heart, he fully persuaded himself that God would do all that He had promised. 

Why? 

Because God is a faithful God, and He would be faithful to fulfill the promises that He had made to Abraham. 

But you know something else, believer?

God is also an immutable God—which means that He never changes. So, if God was faithful during Abraham’s day, He will be just as faithful today. 

That is to say, if God fulfilled His promises to Abraham then, He will certainly be faithful to fulfill His promises—the glorious promises woven throughout Scripture—to us now, regardless of how impossible it may seem given our current circumstances. 

———

So, weary Christian, don’t lose heart. Don’t weaken in faith. And don’t stop trusting. 

God is a good God; therefore, in accordance with His very nature, everything that He does is good—even if we might deem it otherwise. 

He will be faithful to supply your every need, exactly when you need it. 

When He says wait, trust Him—even if it’s really hard. 

He sees you. He knows you. 

And you’ll  never be confounded by obeying. 

He’s got this. 

Be still.