The word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision. God said, “Abram, don’t be afraid. I will defend you and give you a great reward.” But Abram said, “Lord God, there is nothing you can give me that will make me happy, because I have no son. My slave Eliezer from Damascus will get everything I own after I die.” Abram said, “You have given me no son, so a slave born in my house will get everything I have.” Then the Lord spoke to Abram and said, “That slave will not be the one to get what you have. You will have a son who will get everything you own.” Then God led Abram outside and said, “Look at the sky. See the many stars. There are so many you cannot count them. Your family will be like that.”

Genesis 15:2-5 (ERV)

God does not change our circumstances without first changing our way of thinking.

In Genesis 15, Abraham receives a vision from God in which God seeks to grow his faith and deepen his understanding of who He is and what He can do for him. Somehow, for Abraham, God's reassuring promise could not fill his emptiness and unfulfilled longing for a son. Perhaps we are experiencing the same difficulty in trusting God with His Word. Perhaps, we too, have the same struggle when it comes to trusting God with His Word. We know God is faithful, but we are unsure of his faithfulness towards us. This is because, during those uncertain times, our circumstances seem to speak louder than God's Word, and our prayers don't feel as effective as before.

God led Abraham out of his tent to help him to consciously adjust his thinking and bring his emotion into focus. By asking Abraham to look at the countless stars, God was positioning Abraham to believe that he will not only have a son, but he will have innumerable descendants far beyond what he could comprehend.

What we think about God determines how we interact with Him in the midst of our misery, disappointment, and anguish.

Suffering is ultimately unavoidable. While some sufferings can be averted at particular times, there is no way to get through life without any suffering whatsoever. Often than not, our faith is brought to the surface, and it is tested. It is not God who is putting us to the test. Rather, God is right there with us in the midst of life's trials and helping us to grow a new strength of faith to persist and overcome every trial and tragedy.

Difficulties allow us to see what we really believe in God’s Word and whether what it says about God is true. Suffering changes our perspective and experience of God, and often for the better, provided we stay open and thankful regardless of what happens or does not happen. Our friendship with God is determined not by surrounding situations, but by a peaceful faith and confidence in a God who keeps His promises.