When All Hope Is Lost, Believe God’s Promises
By Rick Warren
“While God was testing him, Abraham still trusted in God and his promises, and so he offered up his son Isaac and was ready to slay him on the altar of sacrifice; yes, to slay even Isaac, through whom God had promised to give Abraham a whole nation of descendants!” Hebrews 11:17-18 (TLB)
Have you ever felt your hope die?
You can know hope is dying when you hear yourself say the word “never”: “I’ll never get married. I’ll never get that job. I’ll never have children.”
You’re certainly not alone. One of the greatest heroes of faith in the Bible, Abraham, felt like that.
Romans 4:18 tells us, “Abraham, when hope was dead within him, went on hoping in faith, believing that he would become ‘the father of many nations.’ He relied on the word of God which definitely referred to ‘your descendants’” (Phillips).
What do you do when hope dies and you’re ready to give up? You rely on what God has promised. Where do you turn when everything in you feels like doubting God? You turn to God’s Word.
To become a person of faith, you need God’s Word in you.
Notice the Bible says that Abraham “relied on God’s Word.” Nothing is more reliable than God’s Word!
Even when Abraham faced his biggest test—God asking him to sacrifice his son—he relied on God’s promises.
“While God was testing him, Abraham still trusted in God and his promises, and so he offered up his son Isaac and was ready to slay him on the altar of sacrifice; yes, to slay even Isaac, through whom God had promised to give Abraham a whole nation of descendants!” (Hebrews 11:17-18 TLB).
After Abraham and Sarah waited years for a child, God gave them Isaac. And then God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac.
Abraham didn’t panic. The Bible shows three ways Abraham responded in faith:
- Abraham believed God could raise his son from the dead (Hebrews 11:19).
- Abraham told his servant, “We’ll be back,” not, “I’ll be back” as he and Isaac headed up the hill for the sacrifice (Genesis 22:5).
- When Isaac asked Abraham, “Where is the lamb we will sacrifice?” Abraham answered, “The Lord will provide” (Genesis 22:8).
Abraham believed the promises of God. He knew God would either spare his son or resurrect him.
When all hope seems lost, put your hope in God. “And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love” (Romans 5:5 NLT).
PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!
Discover God’s Answers to Life’s Tough Questions!
What’s the best way to cope with stress? Rebound from failure? Defeat depression? Or have peace of mind?
Pastor Rick shares the answers to these tough questions and much more in his book God’s Answers to Life’s Difficult Questions.
In it, Pastor Rick takes you to God’s Word for answers to twelve of life’s toughest questions, drawing from the examples of people in the Bible who faced the same challenges we face today.
God’s Answers to Life’s Difficult Questions is our thanks for your gift to help reach more people through Daily Hope—so request your copy of this transformative resource when you give below.
Thank you for your support!
*The USA IRS code permits you to deduct the amount of your financial gift to Daily Hope that exceeds the fair market value of materials you received from Daily Hope.
This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
You can listen to Rick Warren on OnePlace.com.
