I remember the morning years ago when I was making my bed, and I clearly heard God speak to my heart that He was calling me to teach the Bible to people all over the world. At the time, I was a housewife in Fenton, Missouri, and having a ministry like this didn’t seem likely.
But God had a plan, and He’s brought it to pass over the last 40-plus years as I’ve learned to walk by faith that He would do what He said He would do.
It didn’t happen overnight; it took time, effort and a determined decision to not give up when things were difficult. I can tell you from personal experience that it’s possible to fulfill God’s plans for your life if you have an attitude that says, “I’m going to trust God and believe what He says more than what I think or feel or what my circumstances look like!”
Make Up Your Mind to Believe
God works in our lives through faith, not doubt and unbelief. James 1:5-8 (NIV) says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.”
It’s so important for us to understand this because we don’t want to live in situations where God can’t do anything because of our unbelief. When Jesus was ministering to people in His hometown of Nazareth, Matthew 13:58 (ESV) says, “He did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.”
The good news is, we can make up our minds that we’re going to trust Him, stand firm and remain steadfast in our faith.
Learning From the Father of Our Faith
Romans 4:18-21 tells us about how Abraham believed he would become “the father of many nations” (v. 18b) even though it didn’t seem possible, naturally speaking. Verse 18a says, “In hope he believed…” even though he had no reason whatsoever to believe he and Sarah, his wife, would have a child because at this stage in life, they were beyond their childbearing years.
Verses 19-21 say, “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. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.”
These Scriptures show us that Abraham considered his circumstances—he was impotent, and Sarah was barren—but he did not waver in his faith in God. Instead, “he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God” (v. 20b).
To defeat doubt and unbelief, we need to face our circumstances but not focus on them. When doubt is coming against us, we need to praise God and remember who He is and the other victories He’s given us in our lives.
Make It Practical
The simple way to do this is by talking about God’s goodness and the things He’s done for you, not just your problems. Set your mind and keep it set to walk by faith, trusting that God has something good in store for you. Don’t try to figure everything out or do something about a situation you can’t do anything about. Do what you know to do and believe that God will take care of the rest.
It’s especially important to spend time meditating on the Word of God during these times. There are so many great Scriptures that will line up your thoughts and words with God’s heart. Here are a few:
- “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” (Prov. 3:5-6).
- “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Rom. 8:37).
- “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:7).
I want to encourage you to trust God’s love for you. Keep standing in faith for His will to be done and keep pressing on, one day at a time, doing what He’s showing you to do. Put your hope in Him to do something good in your life and confidently expect it, because with God on your side, all things are possible!
