Hoping against hope, [Abraham] believed that he would become “the father of many nations,” according to what was said, “So numerous shall your descendants be.” He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.
Romans 4:18-21
Fast: from pragmatism
Abraham’s twenty-five-year journey from the land of Ur to the land that God promised was a spiritual journey as much as it was a physical one, and neither dimension of the journey went smoothly. While Abraham trusted God’s promises enough to leave Ur, his family home for generations, he didn’t trust them entirely. That’s how he ended up in Egypt, passing his wife off as his sister, and how he ended up fathering a child with Hagar instead of Sarah. That’s why God needed to (re)appear to (re)assure Abraham of God’s faithfulness. Abraham’s struggle to trust God’s providence is relatable. We all slip into cynical pragmatism as a tool to cope with hope long deferred. It can feel temporarily empowering to take a measure of control back from God, even when that “empowerment” means lowering our standards to something that seems a little more realistic.
Today, fast from pragmatism. Don’t worry—it is a useful tool, and it will still be there when you need it. Practice an audacious trust in God’s promises instead. Take a moment to identify a place in your life where you find yourself adjusting your expectations downward, and today, when you feel that pressure, choose to resist joyfully instead.