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 15:4-5 (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 wants to enlarge his faith and increase his understanding of who He is and what He can do for him. But somehow, God's reassuring promise could not fill Abraham's emptiness and unfulfilled longing for a son. Perhaps we are experiencing the same difficulty in trusting God with His Word. We know God is trustworthy, but we are not confident about his faithfulness to us. This is because, during those times of uncertainty, our circumstances seem to speak louder than God's Word, and our prayers don't seem as effective as they used to.

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 more he could imagine.

What we think of God will determine how we engage with Him in our suffering, disappointment, and pain.

Suffering is ultimately unavoidable.

While some sufferings can be avoided at certain times, there is no way to go through life without suffering. Our faith in God is often brought to the surface and tested. Difficulties allow us to see what we truly believe in God's Word and whether what it teaches about God is true. God is with us during life's tests, helping us in developing new faith and strength to endure, persevere and overcome.

Suffering changes our experience of God, generally for the better, provided we stay open and thankful regardless of what happens or does not happen. Our friendship with God is not determined by surrounding situations, but by a peaceful faith and confidence in a God who keeps His promises.