2023 Women's Conference with Lisa Hughes Session 2 | Special Event

Trusting God More Than Feelings in Abraham’s Example

To get turned. Am I on? All right. All right. If you could all join us in singing again, pull out your second worship lyrics, please. Are we good to go? Hold on one second. Okay.

Yes, there's nothing worse than sitting out there and freezing.

You're like, I'm not listening at all. All I'm thinking about is trying to get warm. Yeah, I have the luxury of being up here. So I'm generating heat. So I'm not feeling that. So I'm glad you all can be warmer.

That's good. You all sound so great. It's wonderful sitting right there. I get to hear all your voices coming forward. And I love it when, I love women's conferences when women can sing together. It's just really sweet.

And our worship ladies over here, just fabulous. Sounds great. So what a treat. Old Scottish preacher Samuel Rutherford said, believe God's word and power more than you believe your own feelings and experiences.

Your rock is Christ and it is not the rock which ebbs and flows, but your sea. I love how he says, believe God's word and his power more than you believe your own feelings and experiences. That's what we're going to be talking about in this session.

Abraham’s Life of Faith in Temporary and Uncertain Circumstances

So let me open again, just asking for the Lord's grace on this particular session. Father, we do thank you for this session that we're going to be looking at here, Lord, as we look at Abraham's life story.

And Father, we do need to believe you. We want to believe your word more than we believe our feelings and what's right in front of us, our experiences. Lord, we ask that you would help us to do that, that we would be women who by faith put our hope and trust in you so that you would be put on display in our lives and that you would get glory for yourself.

We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. Well, if you're at all familiar with Abraham's life story, then it's easy to imagine that he could have experienced discouragement, that he may have been acquainted with despair and definitely frustration over the circumstances in his lives.

You know that when he had major moves in his life, then when he did get moved to his new place, he lived in a tent. So he lived temporary living for the rest of his life. So if you've ever lived in any kind of temporary situation, then you know what that's like.

He went through years of infertility and childlessness, he and his wife. So he had opportunity to be frustrated, to be discouraged, to experience despair. And yet the overall picture of Abraham is not one of discouragement or sorrow or anger, but it's one of faith and courage and hope.

And even when nothing changed in his life, he still trusted and hoped in the Lord. Hebrews 11 .8 has this to say about Abraham's faith in the Lord. It says, by faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance, and he went out not knowing where he was going.

So he probably felt a little fearful about leaving all that was familiar and going to a land that he knew nothing about. He was basically starting over in life. And you know, as I mentioned, you know, if you've ever done that, then you know all the uncertainty of moving to a new place and all the newness and unknowns and all that that can bring.

I mean, even just starting a new job or flying into a new place and hoping you're going to find friends, you know, all of that can bring with it uncertainty, can't it? And you know, so just all the new things that happen.

And so Abraham experienced that. Hebrews 11 .9 -10 tells us this about Abraham. By faith Abraham lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who were fellow heirs of the same promise.

And Abraham was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. And we can imagine what that was like for him. You know, it is definitely difficult to be the new guy, to be the new person.

And I think there's a few of you who've moved here, you know, fairly recently, you know what that's like when you're the new guy and to be a temporary dweller in the land. And there was a season in our lives when we were in limbo and it was easy to be tempted, to be impatient during that limbo time.

We wanted it to be over, to struggle with longing and envy for everybody else who had all their stuff and ours was still in storage for another month and then another month and another month. You know, that temptation to feel frustrated and just even sorrow that we're not in a permanent place.

And yet for many of us we live, really it feels like even if we're living in a permanent place, our lives are somewhat temporary, in limbo. And yet Hebrews 11 tells us that one of the ways that Abraham overcame his emotions during that time of temporary in his life was by trusting in the Lord and his word, that he was looking for the city which has foundations.

Abraham trusted in God's promises despite his current circumstances and in spite of how he may have felt. And that's why we're going to be looking at Romans 4 18 through 21 because it helps us see how we can live well and give God glory.

Abraham’s Faith in Romans 4:18–21

Now Romans 4 18 through 21 is an unlikely text for us to turn to if we're going to learn how to deal with our feelings. That is not why Paul wrote Romans 4 18 through 21. So I want to put it out there.

The context is where Paul has been carefully explaining that salvation only comes through faith and it's not by any human merit. And yet to illustrate his point then he describes Abraham's faith which rested in God alone for his salvation and his right standing before the Lord.

And it was he uses Abraham as an example because even during Abraham's lifetime and during the lifetime of Isaac and Jacob, the law of God had not even been written or given to the people yet. So they hadn't had it.

Abraham lived in the time before the law and yet Abraham put his faith and trust in God and that was beautiful to God. It was accepted by God and that is where we have that Abraham was justified by his faith.

And so Paul is explaining all of this and yet as he's explaining and giving Abraham as an example of his faith and hope in the one true God for salvation, we can also get some examples and principles that we can glean for our own lives of how we can trust the Lord.

The purpose of the passage is not for us to learn how to deal with our emotions. The purpose of the passage is to show how Abraham put his faith in the one true God, not in works, not in any other thing.

And yet we can still glean encouraging truths from the example of Abraham as we look here in Romans 4 18 through 21. So the text says, in hope against hope, Abraham believed so that he might become a father of many nations according to what had been promised to him.

So shall your descendants be. Without becoming weak in faith, Abraham contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb. Yet with respect to the promise of God, Abraham did not waver in unbelief, but he grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and he was fully assured that what God had promised, he was able also to perform.

Trusting God No Matter How You Feel

So that brings us to our first point, which is trusting God no matter how you feel from verse 18. And the verse opens with, in hope against hope, Abraham believed. And that phrase, hope against hope, means to have hope or trust even when a situation appears to be hopeless.

To hope very strongly in something, even though it's not very likely, most likely, humanly speaking, it's just not going to happen. So we have to ask ourselves, well what was going on in Abraham's life that he kept hoping was going to happen, even though it seemed most likely that it couldn't happen, that it wouldn't happen?

Well, Genesis 11 30 tells us that Sarah was barren. She had no child. But then if we continue to read in Genesis in chapter 12, God tells Abraham something amazing. God tells Abraham, go forth from your country and from your relatives and from your father's house to the land that I will show you, and I will make you a great nation.

Now that's pretty amazing, isn't it? But Abraham and Sarah had already had years of childlessness. It had just said Sarah was barren. They knew she was not going to have any children, and yet God now tells Abraham, but I'm going to make you into a great nation.

And God goes on to tell us in Genesis 12 4 that Abram, Abraham at this time, was 75 years old when he departed from Haran. So he was already old. He was already advanced in years. They were, both Abraham and Sarah, were past the time when most people would have already had children, and yet God now gives this promise to Abraham.

And so Abraham goes. Abraham was 75 years old when God made him that promise, and God had promised him you will have a son or an heir. He doesn't necessarily specify, but almost always it was it was going to be the son because that was where the heir would come from.

And God also promised that he was going to make him into a great nation in a new land. And we know from the scriptures that Isaac wasn't born to Abraham and Sarah until Abraham was 100 years old. So that means that Abraham waited 25 years from the time that God gave him that promise until Isaac is born.

That's 25 years of waiting. 25 years of waiting until that baby was born. If ever there was a man that we can learn from, who we can learn from about dealing with our emotions when we're waiting on the Lord, it is Abraham.

Which means that there's hope for us too. When we are learning to deal with circumstances in our lives where we're waiting upon God, where we're waiting to see what God is going to do, then we can glean from our text.

When Romans 4 18 tells us that Abraham hoped against hope and yet he believed God. There wasn't anything in Abraham's experience at this point in time, it wasn't like there was all these examples of people who were past the prime of life being able to have children in their old age.

I mean that had never happened before but Abraham believed God. That is stellar isn't it? And he hoped in spite of the fact that he knew my body is old. My body is old. Sarah's body is old. It's not really going to happen but God says it's going to happen and so I'm going to hope and I'm going to hope and I'm going to hope for 25 years.

Abraham put his faith in the promises of God above his circumstances and definitely above his feelings. Abraham modeled for us that it's possible to trust God no matter how you feel, no matter what you are going through and I am sure that in a room of this size that there are some of you who are going through circumstances that are hurtful and hard.

They are vexing, they are dire, where you feel that your life is just one big test of your faith and you feel like you are being stretched and stretched almost to the breaking point. What's that name?

Elastigirl. We know about Elastigirl from the Incredibles. I love her you know and that stretching but we feel that way sometimes. It's like surely it's gonna break but the Lord does that at times in our lives.

Abraham did have a specific promise from God that he was that God was going to do this for Abraham but Abraham still needed to believe that promise that God would do what he said. Now we don't have that specific promise you know you're going to have a baby you know that would be kind of scary.

I mean I'm already I'm a grandma you know I'm 60 years old and you know so I'm already past my prime and to be told okay you're gonna have a baby in 25 more years like are you kidding me but then to wait and see what God would do that's pretty crazy isn't it and that's where Abraham was but in spite of that specific one we we do have specific promises that are given to us in the word of God.

We do not have to go out there looking for specific the Lord has given me a promise no no that is that is false but these the promises that are contained here we can trust in and we can believe the promises of God like 1st Corinthians 10 13.

No temptation is overtaking you but such as is common to man why because God is faithful and he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able but with the temptation will provide the way of escape so that you will be able to endure it and what this 1st Corinthians 10 13 tells us and teaches us and we can cling to is a promise from God that because God is faithful he will help us when we are facing temptations like when we're tired and our emotions are just right at the surface and we feel like if if I'm not careful all this yucky stuff is just going to come out and my family is not going to be blessed the Lord is going to be dishonored.

1st Corinthians 10 13 says he will provide a way of escape for us if we will look for to him for help that he's in the midst of the struggle trouble with us that he will help us because he is faithful so we can lean on 1st Corinthians 10 13 that's a promise for us.

We learn from Abraham that it is possible to trust the Lord when we're feeling emotional when we're feeling weak when we feel vulnerable when we feel that all hope is lost it is possible to defer an emotional outburst by putting our trust in the Lord and reminding ourselves of the truth of his word and maintain our hope against hope by believing in God's word and that brings us to our second point facing facts without becoming overwhelmed from verse 19 without becoming weak in faith.

Facing Facts Without Becoming Overwhelmed

Abraham contemplated his own body now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old and the deadness of Sarah's womb. You know there's facts and the facts are that Abraham's body was no longer working but Abraham faced those facts.

The text says that he took really a good hard look at the situation. Now I think this is significant for us to note Abraham didn't you know cover his eyes or ears or just say I'm just not going to believe it or any of those kinds of things.

He took a good hard look at the facts. My body is dead. Sarah's body is dead. There's no way this is going to happen unless the Lord does something. So he looked at the facts and yet he was not overwhelmed by the facts.

Now I don't know about you but sometimes facts completely overwhelm me. I'm I'm a little bit more ostrichy than Abraham. I just want to put my head in the sand. Do not tell me the facts I would just don't.

I don't want to deal with that right now I'm feeling a little bit out of my depth you know. And so this has really encouraged me to help me to look to see no Lord I can face the facts because you have promised you will never leave me or forsake me for one thing.

So I don't need to be afraid at looking at the facts because sometimes facts are scary aren't they. And yet the text tells us that Abraham faced the facts about his body but he didn't give in to despair.

Sometimes when I face the facts about things I like give way into despair there's all kinds of fretting going on. And yet Abraham faced facts and he applied the truth from the promises of God to his situation.

And I think this is a really crucial step for us to apply when we are dealing with our emotions and life situations. When something is bothering us and we're afraid then we want to hide from those facts.

But if we face them like Abraham did we will stand upon the promises of God. You remember that hymn standing on the promises that cannot fail when the howling storms of doubt and fear prevail or assail by the living word of God.

What I shall prevail. Standing on the promises of God. I'm standing. I'm standing. I'm standing on the promises of God my savior. Because I'm standing I'm standing on the promises of God. And when we struggle with fears and anxiety or anger or bitterness or frustration over anything that's happening in our lives we need to remember that we just like Abraham can trust the Lord no matter what our situation.

Psalm 25 10 is one of my favorite go-to texts for me. When I'm struggling with my facing my facts and especially when the circumstances are difficult. Psalm 25 10 says all the paths of the Lord are loving kindness and truth to those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

There is such comfort presented to us in Psalm 25 10. It says all the paths of the Lord are loving kindness and truth for those who belong to him. Now you may be walking on a path right now where the Lord has you.

And if you were to put a street sign on your path that said the name of your path what would be the name of your path. Would it be loving kindness and truth lane. Or would it be not a chance. I don't want to go down this way.

You know private circle or whatever. Lost and wandering. Yeah you know all of those. So our lanes. You know sometimes that the paths that we're on it's like that's. I'm not labeling it that. And yet what do we see from Psalm 25 10.

All the paths of the Lord are loving kindness and truth. So we need to look at the path we're on. What are we calling it. What lane is it or what street or avenue. And does it line up with Psalm 25 10.

We need to relabel it and then reorient our thinking so that we will look at the path that we are on and recognize. No this is not a terrible street for me to be on. This is the path from the Lord. And God says this is his loving kindness to me.

This is the truthful right way. There is no darkness on this street that I am on. It truly helps us to reapply realign ourselves to apply faith to our situation so that we can speak truth to our hearts about our current situations.

And what we saw from verse 18 is that Abraham trusted in the Lord in spite of how he felt. And so can we when we remember the truths from God's word. And verse 19 we see that Abraham faced the facts about his situation and yet he didn't become overwhelmed by it.

And so can we when we wait upon the Lord in faith. And then we come to our third point standing firm upon the promises of God. And verse 20 it says. Yet with respect to the promise of God Abraham did not waver in unbelief but he grew strong in faith giving glory to God.

And verse 21 says. Because Abraham was fully assured that what God had promised he was able also to perform. We see that Abraham didn't waver in unbelief. Instead he grew strong in faith and gave glory to the Lord.

And yet this was only possible because Abraham believed that God was able to bring his promises to to pass to fruition in Abraham's life. Abraham trusted that God was able to do everything that he had promised.

God promised that he would make Abraham into the father of many nations. God promised that he would plant Abraham in a new land. And God promised that from Abraham all the nations of the earth would be blessed.

And it was that promise that Abraham kept in his mind. And our text says that Abraham didn't waver in unbelief. He didn't doubt while he contemplated his dead body and Sarah's. He didn't doubt while he waited for God to bring the promise to pass.

He didn't doubt for 25 years. I think that puts a huge new perspective on trusting. Doesn't it. Abraham didn't waver in unbelief in that kind of flip-floppy way of believing God and not trusting him.

But that doesn't mean he didn't struggle. He's still human. He still would have to realign his thinking. He still had to apply faith. And probably every single day and multiple times throughout the day.

And probably there were different seasons during that 25 years when it was harder than it was at other times. John MacArthur has some great thoughts in his commentary on this passage about that doubting that not wavering.

He says this. But struggling faith is not doubt just as the temptation to sin is not itself sin. He has more to say. But let's just stop there for just a moment. I want you to hear that again. Struggling faith is not doubt just as the temptation to sin is not sin itself.

Now we oftentimes we we can understand that there's the difference between temptation that can come at us and yet it sometimes gets a little muddy muddied in our thinking and we we are not sure when that turns into sin.

But temptation can come at us. And if we turn away by faith then it's not going to be it's not going to be sin in us. Well the struggling in faith to believe God in faith and continue in that faith is is not doubt.

That is that. Isn't it giving not giving into the temptation to not believe God. Okay. So that's what as John MacArthur is talking about he goes on to say. The very fact that Abraham was trying to understand how God's promise could be fulfilled indicates that Abraham was looking for a way of fulfillment although he could not yet see a way weaker faith might have simply succumbed to doubt.

Sincere struggling with spiritual problems comes from a strong godly faith. Such faith refuses to doubt and trust in God's promises even when no the no way of fulfillment is humanly imaginable. God's testing of his children's faith is designed to strengthen their trust.

And they should thank him for it hard as it seems to be at the time when Abraham was tested by God he grew strong in faith. End quote. What we see here is sincere struggling with spiritual problems comes from strong godly faith.

And that's what John MacArthur's talking about there in his quote. Abraham trusted the Lord in spite of his feelings. As Abraham faced facts without becoming overwhelmed. And as Abraham stood firm upon the promises of God his faith grew stronger.

In fact it wouldn't be too far off the mark to say that the longer that Abraham had to wait the more his faith grew. I just find Abraham's example here in Romans 4 18 through 21 the best and the most convicting and the most exciting and challenging example ever.

I I think it's so convicting because for me the longer I have to wait for something you know that's when I get the longer and then it's like I guess it's not gonna happen. And then we do the whole slumpy.

And you know we get a little frustrated. Or you know it's just not happening. You know that stuff. Maybe y 'all don't do that. It's something I learned in Kentucky. Yeah you know I mean isn't that what happens to us the longer we have to wait.

Sometimes like God's never gonna do this. And he doesn't love me. And I might as well eat worms. You know those things that we get. And yet Abraham set his eyes upon his God and he chose not to give into unbelief.

He chose to believe God and he lived by faith. We are responsible for our response to what God is doing in our lives. We we have a choice to make. Am I going to believe God or am I going to respond in unbelief.

Am I going to do what's natural. It is natural for us to not believe God. It's a supernatural act to trust the Lord. We must be relying upon the Lord's help. If we are going to believe him. We cannot do this on our own.

We cannot trust God. I'm going to trust God today. Mm-hmm. And before we know it what are we doing. We've fallen into sin isn't it. And yet Abraham shows us it is possible to trust God day after day after day to continue to give him glory.

To stand firm. To not give way to unbelief. To not give way to our feelings or our fretting or all these other areas that we are tempting us. We can grow strong in faith if we are leaning on the Lord.

And verse 21 provides us with a clue as to how Abraham's faith was strengthened. It says that Abraham was fully assured that what God had promised he was able also to perform. Abraham grew strong in faith because he knew God and he knew God's character.

He had a strong faith because he knew how big God was. That's what made all the difference for Abraham. He knew that God was the creator that he spoke the world into existence that God could do anything he wanted.

He knew he was a that God preserved Noah and his family in the flood. He he'd seen all and heard all the things that God had done. And so Abraham knew how mighty and powerful and faithful and loving and patient and kind God is.

And so Abraham knew that God was fully able to bring to pass whatever it was that he had said that if God said it that was good enough. There is no way we're. We're going to ever grow stronger in faith in times of waiting and difficulty.

Unless we do what Abraham did and think on God's character we have to. We have to spend time in the word thinking on what we know about the Lord how faithful he is. Abraham thought about how God had dealt with those who'd gone before him.

He Abraham thought about God's complete faithfulness in the past. And he had seen God's faithfulness in his own life in taking him through all kinds of trials and difficulties. And he thought on God's promises.

Trusting in God's character strengthens your faith. The John McDuff wrote. Oh you whose wisdom guides my way even though now it seems severe. Forbid my unbelief to say there is no wisdom here Lord if you bend my my spirit low let it be love only that I shall see because the very hand that strikes the blow was wounded once for me.

Even though Abraham's feelings were most likely all over the place he trusted God. He trusted in spite of his feelings. Just because you have those feelings doesn't mean that they have to rule the roost.

The feelings are feelings. So what. We have those. But what what are we doing with them all. Right. They don't have to lead us. They can come in line with the truths and promises of God's word. And that's what we see Abraham doing.

He hoped in the Lord knowing that the Lord was the only one who could rescue him that the Lord was the only one who could fulfill those promises. Abraham filled his mind with the truths of God's character.

And so as he did so he grew strong in faith. Probably one of the best places the most succinct places that you can go to for a just a an all-around picture and study of God's character is Psalm 145. It contains just the attributes of God there and you can use that as a springboard to do a study even on your own on God's character.

But truly any kind of study anytime you're in Bible study anytime you're being taught from the scriptures you're going to be learning about God's character. But now you have to take it and then apply it into your situation your circumstances.

When you're on that lonely lane and you don't want to call it loving and kindness and truth avenue or whatever. Um how are you going to respond in that moment. Are you going to apply the truths about what you know about God's character.

God is faithful. God is kind. He has placed me here he is. He has not set me here to wound me but to build into my life so that I would grow into his likeness that I would share his holiness. Okay. This brings us to our fourth point giving God glory without a change in your situation.

Giving God Glory Without a Change in Your Situation

Oh my verse 20. Do we have to deal with that one we always wanted you know the Lord. Fix it fix it fix it. Yet with respect to the promise of God Abraham did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith.

Giving glory to God when you trust the Lord in spite of your feelings in spite of your circumstances. When you declare just like Job in Job 13 15 though he slay me yet I will trust him. This gives God glory.

And God is honored when you believe in his goodness even when it it appears that you are not experiencing his goodness. There's some of you right now when if you were to look at your life and you were to say it doesn't look like this is God's goodness for me.

But you can respond just like Abraham by saying yes. I am experiencing God's goodness in spite of my circumstances. The ups and downs of our emotions all those kinds of the circumstances that we experience they they come upon us.

But when we choose to turn our thoughts and our mind upon the Lord that gives him glory. And it is then that we follow in Abraham's footsteps. You know the emotions. Our emotions are not the enemy and I'm not.

I'm not trying to make them the enemy. They are a normal part of being human and God uses them mightily to show what's in our hearts to bring to light the areas that we need to grow in so that we can apply faith.

We need to learn to balance everything in our lives. Right. We need to learn to balance our eating. We need to learn to balance our sleeping. We need to learn to balance our work and our play and our relationships and all kinds of things.

But we also need to learn to balance our emotions which isn't very popular to tell people these days. Is it because everybody wants to have all the feels and all this. You know it's like all the stuff and don't tell me to bring it in.

What are you talking about. And you know it's like no no there must be balance. Let us give glory to the Lord in how we are responding in this situation. Just letting our emotions lead us around is not going to give God glory.

Ultimately every single time we have a choice we need to make when we find ourselves in a time of struggle with our circumstances and our emotions we have to consider. Do I really want to give God glory even in this.

And if I do want to give him glory what do I need to do. Or how do I need to think so I can respond in faith. And we need to ask ourselves am I willing to trust what God says in his word over and above how I feel in some of my circumstances.

So let's talk about some specific scenarios to see if anything we've talked about can apply in real life. Okay. So here's a first scenario. You've been up for nights on end with sick children one child after another has been up coughing with the croup and you can feel your emotions rising and tears and anger are right below the surface.

You know that getting some sleep would just fix everything if you if you could just get some. But you know the nighttime is still six hours away there before you're even going to have a chance to go to bed.

Um is it possible six hours out. Your tears are right there. Is it possible even when you feel weak and vulnerable. Can you get through the evening without an outburst. Well it is if you're to trust God in spite of how you feel you can live upon Psalm 57 too.

I will cry to God most high to God who accomplishes all things for me. Lord you accomplish all things for me Lord. You will help me. Help me Lord to be a blessing to my family to not make the situation worse.

They're miserable. I'm miserable. I'm just weak and tired. Lord will you accomplish this for me. Help me Lord. I'm crying out to God most high. You are the mighty God. Let's talk about another scenario.

Can you put your faith in the promises of God above your circumstances and feelings when you're called into your boss's office and then your boss proceeds to just jump all over you for a mistake another employee made.

And even after you explain the situation um about what happened your boss still stubbornly holds you responsible even though it's not your fault. And you know from that point on that your boss and the upy-ups are always going to see this as a black mark against you.

They're just that's just a going to be something you're going to be dealing with. Is it possible though you feel frustrated and maybe a little bitter at um that the injustice of this situation. That can you not give in to fear.

What about not giving into vengeful feelings. Is it possible to trust the Lord in that situation. Yeah if we're willing to trust the Lord. 1st Peter 3 16 through 17 says that we are to keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered those who will revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.

It is better if God should will it so that you suffer for doing what is right than for doing what is wrong. What about this scenario. Your husband has been working long hours and though you keep telling yourself that he can't help it and that he's just as miserable as you are about it you still find yourself battling resentment and frustration and lowliness.

Can you be a blessing to him in spite of that. And and not give into those feelings those temptations. Well you can if Hebrews 4 16 is at the forefront of your mind let us draw near with confident confidence to the throne of grace so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in the time of need.

We can trust the Lord that he will help us to not spew out all those frustrations that aren't helpful to poor hubbies who are also struggling with their own right response. So how can we be a blessing to others.