Isolating faith

I recently learnt about this idea, isolating faith. It was explained to me as a point that comes in one’s walk of faith where God has to separate you to continue building you as a believer.

It sounds like a strange thing, a least it did to me at first. But when I looked deeper in the Bible, I saw that this often happens. One example that comes to mind is Abraham (initially called Abram), often credited as the father of faith. God told Abraham to leave all he knew to follow him.

The Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you”

Genesis 12:1

The following two verses in Genesis 12 (read more here) continue talking about how God will make Abraham into a great nation. Reading all the verses together, one can see that isolating faith is the first step towards God’s promises for our lives.

The only problem is that life doesn’t often happen this way. I find that when God asks me to separate by doing things differently, leaving some habits, stepping out even when I am afraid, the promise that will come after is not clear until I actually do what I need to do.

Isolating faith for me is often God saying, “Obey first, then I will show you the benefits of obedience.”

God continually raises us to be better. He raises us to demonstrate the fruits of the Holy Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control. He raises us to use our gifts and talents in a way that pleases him and makes the world a better place. But to get there, we will experience isolating faith. Great things never happen if we continue doing the same old things in the same old way.

Isolating faith: This is God’s way of calling us to our next level!

My encouragement today for the next time this moment of isolating faith comes your way – embrace it. No eye has seen, no ear has heard or mind understood what God has in store for you! He is in it, to win it, for you.

All you need to do is take that step of faith. What lies on the other side of that step is amazing!