By Cherry Hoffner
Do you believe that God will do what He says He will do? Do you believe in God's promises?
God told Abraham he would have offspring as numerous as the stars in the sky (Gen. 15:5), but it took a while before Abraham saw a single one. He did not actually become a father until he was 86 years old! When he was 99, God changed his name from Abram, meaning “exalted father,” to Abraham meaning “father of many.” Can you imagine how hard it would have been for Abraham to have either of those names? And yet, his name was a sure sign that someday it would be true.
God doesn’t always make it easy to believe in His promises. Their fulfillment doesn’t always come when we want it. God works in His time for His purposes—and His timing is always perfect—even if we sometimes disagree.
So, what does God actually promise to His children today?
Did you know that we are told in Philippians 4:7 that when we bring our worries to God through prayer, “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”? God promises peace if we bring our worries to Him, yet instead we often cling to them like a deck chair on the Titanic!
But wait! There’s more: When we are afraid, we can trust that God will be with us; He will strengthen and help us (Is. 41:10); when we confess our sins, “he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9); when you need wisdom, “you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (James 1:5) God showers us with His promises. But do we really trust that God will do those things?
Going back to Abraham’s story, there are 12 “I will” statements from God in Genesis 17 that reinforce that He will do what He says He will do. They serve as a reminder of God’s faithfulness to Abraham—and to us—that God WILL fulfill His promises.
God WILL give us peace to guard our hearts when we give Him our worries. He WILL strengthen us when we’re afraid. He WILL give us wisdom when we ask. God WILL do what He says He will do.
How might your Christian walk be different if you actually believed in God's promises?
We encourage you to read through our articles on God’s promises. Ask Him to help you trust His promises more fully and walk with Him in reliance and confidence.