Sarah, also known as Sarai, is the wife of Abraham, who is known as the Father of our believing. He is named in the Great Cloud of Witnesses in Hebrews 12:1, because he was fully persuaded that whatever God said, He is able and willing to perform. During the period in which Abraham and Sarah lived, having a son for whom a father could pass down his legacy was considered the ultimate blessing. If a woman was barren and could not give her husband a son, she was looked down upon. Sarah was such a woman for many years. She was thought to be way beyond the years of having a baby when Abraham received the promise from Heavenly Father that he would indeed be a father of many nations (Genesis 17:4). When Sarah heard the news, sister girl was so planted in unbelief that this could be possible, she laughed at the promise of God.
Genesis 18:12(NLT) tells us, “So she laughed silently to herself and said, “How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my master—my husband—is also so old?” God designed physical intimacy to bind the unity of a married couple and to also bring them pleasure. Sarah thought of herself as being old and worn-out, so much so that the thought of being vital in this area of her marriage, to the point of giving birth, was hilarious to her.
In Luke 14, a large crowd was following Jesus. He invited all of God’s people to feast from the gospel, but as it is today, many who seemed zealous had no intention of being deeply rooted in truth. He perceived in the Spirit that many of those that followed were not interested enough to leave their comforts behind. He schooled them quickly and sharply, letting them know that there’s a cost associated with discipleship, and if we do not carry our own crosses and follow him, we can’t be his disciples. In Luke 14:28(NLT), our Lord and Savior said, “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it?”
The words of Jesus pressed individuals to immediately calculate and make an assessment. They had to weigh an outcome against their willingness to give up not just physical comfort, but mental and emotional comfort as well. Transformation was non-negotiable. Jesus told them, “Before you even think about becoming a disciple, look at where you are, what you have, and what you’re used to. Then consider that it may be necessary to give it all up to follow me. You don’t have what it takes right now to do all that is required of you, but by the time I’m finished with you, you’ll be perfectly suited for the cross you’re destined to carry. You must have faith in me to complete in you the work that my Father has begun.”
You and I can’t see the end result, the polished-by-love finished product that the Father desires us to become. We might look at our circumstances right now, and things seem so crazy, so out-of-whack, that we can’t imagine God making sense of them all. It may seem as impossible to come out of what you’re in as it was for Sarah to believe that she would have a baby well into her senior years. From where you’re standing today, you may not have the vision for the victory you’ll experience. You might not be imagining the joy and rejoicing of your heart, and the sheer magnitude of grace that God is blanketing around your life, but faith demands that you make room for this transformation in your heart and mind.
What are you gaining by not believing and trusting God wholeheartedly? I would argue that nothing can be gained from this. People are planted in unbelief usually for one reason, and it is because it is comfortable for them to campout there. It is easier not to believe in the victory we have in Christ than to believe in it, because to believe in the victory we have received, we’re going to have to give up some things in our lives that cause us to be stuck and keep us comfortable in business as usual.
Sarah did it! She was uprooted from her unbelief, and she didn’t have the indwelling Holy Spirit, because Christ had not yet come to make him available to those living in her lifetime. Yet, she went from laughing in unbelief to birthing a life she never dreamed would be possible. Imagine the calculations she had to make in her mind to move from having no faith to ultimately manifesting the promise God had made. It didn’t happen overnight. It took some time for her to make the leap.
Imagine the naysayers who thought it was absurd to expect a miracle so grand for a woman of her age. She even offered her attending maid to Abraham, and they had a child together. This was Sarah still calculating, almost there, but not quite. When it comes to our believing and faith, ‘almost there’ will not do. Sarah had to go all the way. She had to be fully persuaded that God would fulfill that which He had promised. He didn’t disappoint Abraham and Sarah, and He won’t disappoint you either. Trust Him with your whole heart!■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“Uprooted from Her Hilarious Unbelief ” written by Reverend Fran Mack, edited by Kim Times for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2018. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.