End of the World

Faith - Trust or dependence on God based on the fact that we take Him at His word and believe what He has said (from Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem, page 710)

I’m reading through Romans with my high school girls and it is so fun. It is a letter that is so rich in the Gospel and I get to share that with them each week. I love pulling out my roommate, Emily Katherine’s, Systematic Theology textbook when I am preparing each week. I get to nerd out about the Bible and its history.

In Romans 4, Paul wrote about Abraham’s faith and how because of his faith God declared him righteous. I wrote down the definition for faith in my journal this week with the intention to share it with my group. I completely forgot to share the definition, even though we spent most of our time talking about faith.

Recently, the Lord has been beautifully colliding the Old Testament with the New in my life. I have been listening to the Chronological Bible in the mornings and just finished the section on Abraham. Listening to the account from Genesis that tells Abraham’s story and reading about his faith in Romans. It amazes me how the Lord perfectly times these to speak to my heart.

We often speak that phrase in the church: God’s perfect timing. It is a cliché that I don’t always want to hear, but I know is true. Sarah, formerly Sarai, laughed when she gave birth to Isaac. She didn’t think the Lord could grant her to conceive and bear a child in her old (90 to be exact) age. Elizabeth also bore a child when she was past the age of childbearing. Her son leapt in her womb when Mary (who was carrying the Christ conceived by the Holy Spirit) visited her.

God’s perfect timing is a phrase quite fitting for these women. Miracle is as well. The God of miracles. I have used the word miracle a myriad of times in the past few weeks. My sentence has been, “It will honestly be a miracle from God if I ever get married.”

As a child, I remember hearing the stories of Sarah, Elizabeth, and Hannah. I thought the women prayed they would no longer be barren and the Lord granted that, though I knew it was not immediate. The luxury of being the reader is that I know the ending. My faith was innocent, childlike, and strong.

I felt quite convicted reading about Abraham’s faith in the Lord to make him the father of many. Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90 when they had a son, but that did not detract him from believing the Lord’s promise. I’m 25 and have given up on finding love.

Abraham believed and hoped, even when there was no reason for hoping, and so became “the father of many nations.” Just as the scripture says, “Your descendants will be as many as the stars.” Romans 4:18

This was the verse I chose to write on my index card. I asked my high school girls to pick a verse or phrase that stood out to them or encouraged them and to write it down. Then, write a prayer based on what they wrote. The great thing about leading a Bible study is that you learn more as the leader. I get to learn alongside these girls and it is a great privilege.

I started scanning back through the verses we had read and immediately verse 18 popped out at me. My lack of faith and hope in what the Lord can do versus Abraham’s blind faith and hope in what the world would have deemed impossible.

“No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he promised.” Romans 4:20-21

Abraham was fully convinced. I have been challenging God for a miracle.

Now, I know what you might be thinking. Carrie, you are 25. That is young and you shouldn’t be worried about finding someone! And you would be correct. I could list all the reasons why I have given up hope in love and you still wouldn’t get it. Because it is all about my experiences and emotions and how the Devil can use those experiences to speak hurtful things on our hearts.

You will never be worth pursuing

Your standards are too high

Finding a man who actually likes you and you actually like is impossible

You will never be enough

Just a few of those hurtful lies that my experiences have woven into my brain.

And if God said, “Carrie, you are going to be single for the rest of your life because that is how you are going to best glorify me.” I would say, “Ok, God. I’m good at being single, so I can see that. I still kinda desire that whole husband and kids thing, but if you say being single is best.”

But I also believe the Lord wants to grant us our desires. He loves his children and gives us good things. His timeline is infinitely better than my own.

Mia Fieldes sings and writes songs for Hillsong United. She has a beautiful story about her experience with God and guys. A story that reminds us the Lord gives gifts that are custom made. You can listen to it here.

Mia declared things over her life, which I am admittedly afraid to do. I fear I will declare something and it will be wrong. I have been putting off declaring things over my life because my faith is small and fragile.

I want to declare the Lord will provide me with a husband, but I am fearful that it will remain untrue.

But Abraham and Mia both teach me to hope against hope that the Lord will do as He has promised. And as I hope and believe and talk with my Father, my faith will be strengthened in his goodness and righteousness.

I feel the call to declare my story will include finding love when I listen to Kelsea Ballerini’s song End of the World. I think the Lord brought this song to me to remind me of His plan. To give me hope.

May the God who created the world from nothing teach me to have faith like Abraham and Mia.