Dealing with Uncertainty (Part 1)
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The Life of Abraham: Living Out God’s Story | Certainty in Uncertainty
Bible Reference: Genesis 15:1-21
Big idea: Part of living out God’s story for our lives means we have learn to deal with uncertainty.
Dealing with Uncertainty
After an intense battle to save his nephew, Abram finds himself in a quiet place wrestling with his own uncertainty concerning God’s promises for his life.
Just like Abram, you might be finding yourself in a place of uncertainty as you walk out God’s promises for your life.
In this message we will learn more about how we deal with uncertainties in our faith journey with God.
Genesis 15:1
1 After these events, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield; your reward will be very great."
At this point in time, Abram has already been in the promised land for some time. However, he has not acquired any land or have had any children yet. Despite all that he had gone through and his obedience to God, personally it seemed like no progress was taking place.
The lack of progress made Abram uncertain.
We see three things about experiencing uncertainty in our lives.
#1 We all face uncertainty
Abram was in a place of uncertainty because of a lack of visible progress in his life. We all have reasons for our uncertainties, but we have to understand that being uncertain does not make us bad Christians. Sometimes we have to come to terms with not having any answers. E.g Job and Abraham. Facing our uncertainty is the first step in us finding certainty. We cannot resolve what we ignore.
Having uncertainty is not a sin.
It is an opportunity for greater faith
#2 There are different kinds of uncertainty
Willful uncertainty -uncertainty with the who.
It happens when we choose not to believe in God. E.g. Lot not choosing God’s promised land but choosing a seemingly more comfortable life that God had not led him to. This is the most serious kind of uncertainty we will have to work through because we might end up rejecting God’s purposes for our lives if we do not deal with it.
Logical uncertainty- uncertainty with the how.
This happens not because we do not want to believe, but we struggle with how God might carry out His plans. If we don’t learn to deal with our logical uncertainties, it is likely that we will try to make things happen in our own strength, like Sarai did.
Emotional uncertainty- uncertainty with the heart. Even though this feels like the worst among the list of uncertainties, this is the least serious because it is rooted in our emotions. If left unattended, it can lead to feelings of discouragement, defeat or depression.
#3 You are not alone in your uncertainty
Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield, your reward will be very great."
God shows up to assure Abram in his uncertainty. Just like how God ministers to Abram’s uncertainty, it is helpful to know that the Holy Spirit will always be with you. He is here to help you find certainty in your uncertainty.