In The Pilgrim’s Progress, Christian sets out from the City of Destruction with a burden on his back and a promise in his heart. But the road to the Celestial City is long. It weaves through valleys of fear, delays, and doubts. Though he presses on, there are moments when the promise feels far away, and belief feels harder than it used to.
That’s precisely where Abram is in Genesis 15. He’s already obeyed God’s call and walked by faith. But now the road is quiet. The promise still hasn’t been fulfilled. And God meets him, not with a rebuke, but with reassurance. In this short but beautiful passage, we see how God grows Abram’s faith not in the miracle, but in the waiting.
Let’s look at three movements in this story that show how belief deepens in the disciple’s journey.
1. God Reassures the Fearful Disciple (Genesis 15:1)
“After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: ‘Fear not, Abram. I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.’”
Abram had just turned down the wealth of Sodom in chapter 14. Maybe he was afraid of retaliation or regretting the cost of obedience. But God meets him with two promises: protection and reward. Not just gifts—God Himself. “I am your shield.” Not just “I’ll keep you safe,” but “I am with you.”
God doesn’t fix everything in this moment. He reminds Abram who He is.
Maybe your heart has been asking, “Is the promise still coming?” Perhaps you’re not doubting God, just tired of the wait. Hear what God told Abram: “I am your shield.” That’s not a motivational quote. That’s a presence to rest in.
Missionary John Paton once said, “With God as my shield, I am immortal until my work is done.” God doesn’t always remove the fear, but He never leaves you alone with it.
2. The Disciple Wrestles Honestly (Genesis 15:2–3)
Abram doesn’t stay silent. He speaks:
“O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless…”
He’s not rejecting God’s promise; he’s struggling with the gap between what God said and what he sees. He says, in effect, “I’ve been walking, but I’m still waiting.”
God doesn’t shut him down. He lets Abram talk. That’s grace.
Some of us were taught that faith means pretending we’re fine. But Abram shows us something better: faith talks to God, even when it hurts. Maybe you’ve asked, “God, I’m trying—but where are You in this?” Don’t hide that. Bring it to Him.
C.S. Lewis once wrote in A Grief Observed, “Go to God when your need is desperate... what do you find? A door slammed in your face.” But Lewis didn’t walk away. He stayed. He questioned. And over time, he saw the kindness behind the silence.
3. God Credits Faith as Righteousness (Genesis 15:4–6)
God answers again.
“This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” Then He takes Abram outside: “Look toward heaven, and number the stars… So shall your offspring be.”
And then:
“And he believed the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness.”
Abram didn’t get all the details. He didn’t get a son right away. But he trusted. He leaned his weight on God’s word. And God responded with grace. Not a deal. A declaration: “righteous.”
This is the first time the word “righteousness” appears in the Bible—and it’s not tied to good works. It’s tied to belief.
Reflection: Maybe you’ve been trying to earn your way back to God. Maybe you feel too far gone. But here’s the truth: righteousness doesn’t come from effort. It comes from faith. From trusting that God keeps His word, even when the wait is long.
Martin Luther wrestled for years with how to be made right with God—until he read this verse in Romans 4. He said, “When I discovered that the righteousness of God is that righteousness whereby, through grace and sheer mercy, He justifies us by faith… I felt that I was altogether born again.” That’s the power of grace.
The Journey Forward
Abram didn’t become perfect after this. He would still try to take matters into his own hands in the next chapter. But God had already counted him righteous. The foundation was grace. The walk was faith.
Faith doesn’t mean you never ask hard questions. It means you keep returning to what God has said.
Romans 10:17 says, “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” That means that faith grows the more you meditate and believe in God’s promises. You don’t need a better plan. God already has a plan. You need a clearer view of the One who gave the promise for His plan.
Final Encouragement
In The Lord of the Rings, Frodo, burdened by fear and delay, says, “I wish it need not have happened in my time.” And Gandalf replies:
“So do I… and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.”
So let me ask: are you still trusting God in the waiting, or have you quietly started to drift? Like Abram, maybe your heart’s been whispering, “Are we there yet?”
Discipleship is deciding to believe again, today. It’s counting the stars when the promise still feels far off. It’s walking mile after mile, knowing this truth: God hasn’t changed the destination. He is still your shield. Still, your reward. Still with you.
*This article was initially preached at Grace Community Church on June 8, 2025, by Pastor Micah Powell and subsequently published as an article.*