Laura J. Davis

Read Genesis 19:1-26; Genesis 12:1-7

Sometimes it's hard to let go of the past. Especially when we sense God is leading us in a new direction. We try to cling to those things that are familiar and comfortable and when we are faced with something new that we are unsure of, we either stay rooted to the spot and don't move forward, look back with longing at what we had, or we step out in faith and into the unknown.

Which one do you find yourself doing the most?

Staying rooted in one spot is the easiest. We are most comfortable there. It is familiar and doesn't require much from us. If God told us to go in a completely different direction, we would immediately be terrified, simply because we are set in our ways and afraid to take chances. Before we realize what has happened, our faith has become stagnant. We are no longer growing and life begins to take on a certain hopeless feeling - that nothing ever changes - and nothing ever will, if you don't step out in faith once in a while. The angels that came to Lot had to drag him out of the city because he was so reluctant to leave the familiar.

At other times, we have obeyed God, but all too soon we become discouraged because we believed God was telling us to do something, but it turns out to be something we never envisioned. We begin to look back with longing at the way things were and we become disillusioned. Once again our faith takes another "hit" and like Lot's wife, we turn back and never move forward again.

It is not easy to have the faith of Abram (soon to be Abraham). God told him to leave his country, his people, his father's house and go to ... God didn't tell him where He was sending him. This took an enormous step of faith for Abram. He put all His trust in God and stepped out, not having a clue as to where he was going. He did however have this assurance from God:

 “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” 

That was good enough for Abraham. He was 75 when God told him to leave. Well set in his ways. Comfortable. But also in such a close relationship with the Father that he knew His voice and obeyed.

And that is the key. 

How will do you know the Father's voice? Are you in the Word daily? If not, you won't recognize Him when He calls and your faith will not be strong enough to trust Him.

Today, spend some time praying that God will help you let go of whatever is hindering you from moving forward in your faith.