Daily Devotions are updated daily at 20:00 GMT
25 Oct: Trusting Through the Test
After these things God tested Abraham. Genesis 22:1
Scripture Reading: Genesis 22:1–3, 6–12
The first time I took my sons to hike a Colorado Fourteener, a mountain rising more than 14,000 feet above sea level, they were filled with uncertainty. They wondered if they were strong enough and whether they could actually make it to the top. My youngest especially struggled. He stopped often to rest and repeatedly said, “Dad, I can’t keep going.” Even so, I knew the climb would help build their confidence, and I hoped they would learn to trust me through the challenge. Then, with only a mile left before the summit, the same son who had been ready to quit found a fresh burst of energy and ended up reaching the top ahead of the rest of us. Looking back, he was grateful that he kept trusting me despite his fears.
That story reminds me of the remarkable trust Isaac showed in his father as they walked up the mountain together. Even more striking is Abraham’s trust in God when he lifted the knife over his son (Genesis 22:10). Though his heart must have been torn with confusion and sorrow, Abraham chose obedience. At the critical moment, God intervened through an angel, who said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy” (verse 12). Isaac was never meant to die.
As we carefully consider what this extraordinary account teaches us today, we should remember how it begins: “God tested Abraham” (v. 1). Through that test, Abraham discovered the depth of his trust in God. He also experienced God’s compassion and faithful provision in a profound way.
Times of uncertainty, hardship, and testing often reveal what is truly in our hearts. They also teach us more about who God is. And as we walk through those difficult seasons, we may find our trust in Him growing deeper than it was before.
By: Ben Littlewood
Go deeper on: Trusting Through the Test
Reflect & Pray
How do you believe you’ve been tested by God? What was that experience like, and what did you take away from it?
God, I don’t know if what I’m experiencing is Your testing or not, but either way, I want to trust You. I give my future to You.