Genesis 31-32

Matthew 9:18-38

“…everything that does not come from faith is sin.” Romans 14:23

Although the Apostle Paul was addressing a particular issue in Romans 14, his statement in the opening verse of this devotion is a general principle that we could apply to all of life: everything that does not come from faith—that is, trust—is sin. Why is that? Returning to our previous devotion on choosing between the road of pleasing God or trusting God, if we choose the former, we are walking the Christian life independent of God through works rather than in dependence upon God, which is by faith. In other words, if we want God to be pleased with us, we usually start thinking that He should also please us. We reason that since we are living our life for Him, He should not only answer our prayers the way that we want Him to but also deliver us from issues that are difficult in our life that we do not want to deal with. But, sometimes, when God does not do this for us, we start to get angry or bitter with Him. In the end, our distorted perception of God eventually leads us into sin; hence, everything that does not come from faith is sin.

The road to trusting God is actually the road to pleasing God. When our life is built on trusting God, whatever happens is irrelevant. Whether the sun shines or the clouds are black in our life, it does not change how we view God. Hebrew 11 talks about men and women who lived by faith. Verse 35 highlights, “Women received back their dead, raised to life again”—this is wonderful! Yet, verses 36-37 tells us, “Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawn in two; they were killed by the sword.” But regardless of circumstances, these men and women never stopped trusting God because there were no strings attached to their faith. 

Of all the men and women in Hebrews 11, Abraham and Moses were given the longest descriptions. If we were to read about their lives in the Old Testament, we will learn that they spent their lives trying to please God, which led them flat on their faces, defeated and broken, until they began to trust God. 

When we trust God, He works through us. Paul tells us, “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed…continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfil His good purpose” (Philippians 2:12-13).

May we take the road of trusting God with no strings attached.

PRAYER: Dear God, regardless of what goes on in my life, I trust You, Lord. Although I do not understand why, I do know that You are working mightily in my life. Thank You, God.