A Decision Not a Reaction

By Rich Pérez, CT Pastors, Content Strategist

Avocado Toast with a Side of High Stakes
A few weeks ago, I took my son out for breakfast. In between bites of my avocado toast and his fluffy pancakes, he shared something deeply vulnerable. I took in a breath, another bite of my meal and offered him what I hoped was a comforting look.

I realized something that morning: If you learn to listen when the stakes are low, they will trust you when the stakes are high. This principle was beginning to pay dividends in my relationship with my son.

A Decision Not a Reaction
Trust is the bedrock of our existence, the linchpin upon which societies, relationships, and institutions rest. Without trust, we’re adrift in a sea of uncertainty. In Genesis 22:3-19, we see Abraham being tested, a journey that resonates deeply with our own struggles in faith.

Abraham’s trek to the place of sacrifice wasn’t a quick jaunt; it was a three-day odyssey, emblematic of the time it takes to forge genuine trust. Trust, after all, isn’t a knee-jerk reaction but a deliberate choice, often born from wrestling with the very essence of who we’re being called to trust—in Abraham’s case, God.

In the height of the pandemic, I snapped a picture of our family taking a socially-distanced walk in our local park. What was most interesting about this picture was that I only captured our shadows. “Love is formed in the shadows.” This phrase echoed in me as I reflected on the photograph.

Trust is difficult not because God is untrustworthy; rather, the struggle lies in our willingness to believe in his goodness, wisdom, and power, even when his asks seem incomprehensible.

Abraham’s three-day sojourn wasn’t just a physical passage; it was a mental and spiritual one as well. He grappled with the enormity of God’s request, agonizing over the sacrifice demanded. It’s a poignant reminder that trusting God isn’t always painless. Sometimes, it means accepting his will, even when it contradicts our desires, even when it hurts.

Yet, within this anguish lies a profound truth: Trust is a decision nurtured over time. God doesn’t demand blind obedience; God holds space for doubt, for questioning, for wrestling with his will. It’s as if he’s saying, “Take your time, Abraham. Mull it over. Let trust grow within you.”

Abraham’s journey mirrors our own. We roam landscapes of doubt and fear, wondering if we can truly trust in God’s plan. But just as Abraham found solace in his eventual—though reluctant—obedience, we find reassurance in knowing that God is ever-present, guiding us through the tumult of uncertainty.

Certainly, trust isn’t a one-time event; it’s a continuous process, unfolding in the aftermath of life’s challenges. Abraham’s test came “after these things.” I can’t tell you how grateful I am for those three words.

The test arrives only after Abraham has already shown his trust in God by leaving his homeland and his father’s house. It follows his fervent prayers, pleading for the sparing of a city where his loved ones reside. It unfolds after he relies on God’s protection during their time in Egypt, facing the threat of Pharaoh’s wrath. This trial comes after decades of longing for a child, after witnessing God’s faithfulness in fulfilling the promise of offspring.

A Pastoral Reminder
There is no shortage of trials that we have faced and will face, no less as a leader. Leader, embrace the tests that refine our faith, knowing that they pave the way for deeper communion with our Creator. Trust isn’t about answers; rather about being formed as one who knows how to wrestle with questions and arrive at trust.

In the end, Abraham’s sacrifice foreshadowed a greater act of love—the sacrifice of Christ. Through him, God offers redemption and grace, inviting us into a relationship built on trust and unfailing love.

As we navigate life’s uncertainties, may we find comfort in knowing that God walks alongside us, beckoning us to trust in his plan, and finding comfort that where he calls us, he is already there waiting.