Growing Faith in a Culture of Discomfort: What Abraham Teaches Us About Trusting God
It’s no secret—discomfort makes us want to fix things fast. Whether it’s a broken AC or a life detour we didn’t see coming, our instinct is often to grab the wheel and regain control. But what if discomfort isn’t something to escape—but something God uses to form us?
That was the heart of Jodie’s powerful message this week, and it’s something we all need to hear: Faith isn’t about having everything go right. It’s about trusting God when nothing seems to.
Fifteen years ago, Jodie and her family experienced what she called one of those “big movements of God.” They stepped out in faith—new job, new city, new school—but almost immediately, everything fell apart. Injury, school transitions, lost housing plans. The stress was real. The temptation to push through and “fix it” was strong.
But as she shared, that season taught her something deeper about faith—a truth that still shapes her today.
The World Says “Fix It.” God Says “Form It.”
In our culture, discomfort is something to avoid. From Amazon’s next-day delivery to binge-watching Netflix, we’re constantly trained to soothe, numb, and distract ourselves. But God has a different plan. He doesn’t always remove the discomfort. Instead, He invites us to stay with Him in it—because formation happens in the tension.
Dr. Anna Lembke calls this phenomenon a “low tolerance for discomfort” in her book Dopamine Nation. We’ve been conditioned to expect ease and escape, not endurance and depth.
But God isn’t forming us into people who are comfortable. He’s forming us into people of faith.
Five Facets of Faith from Abraham’s Journey
Abraham’s story in Genesis gives us a living example of how God uses the long, winding, often frustrating journey to grow deep-rooted trust. Jodie walked us through five key takeaways from Abraham’s life:
Faith is formed by grace, not merit.
Abraham wasn’t chosen because he was great—he was chosen because God is gracious. The same is true for us. Faith begins when we receive what we did not earn.The journey will be longer, harder, and different than we imagined.
Abraham was 75 when God promised him a child. He waited 25 more years before Isaac was born. God doesn’t rush. And faith means waiting well, even when the path doesn't make sense.God uses ambiguity to form us.
We crave control and certainty. God gives us Himself instead. He didn’t lay out the full timeline for Abraham—and He doesn’t always do it for us. But in that ambiguity, we learn trust.God keeps every promise.
Even when we make backup plans or stumble in doubt, God is faithful. Abraham and Sarah tried to force God's hand, but God fulfilled His promise anyway. He always does.Goodness is coming—even if we don’t see it in full.
Abraham died having only seen a glimpse of the promise. But he believed it anyway. That’s the kind of faith God is forming in us—a faith that hopes forward, even in the dark.
What’s the Practice?
All of this is beautiful in theory—but how do we live it out?
Jodie offered a simple but bold challenge: practice fasting.
Not to earn God’s favor. Not to prove anything. But to train our souls to sit with discomfort, to pause, to wait on God instead of rushing ahead. Whether it’s food, your phone, social media, or shopping—what’s one thing you can fast from this week to grow your faith muscles?
Fasting, like all spiritual practices, is about participating in our own formation. It’s not about getting more from God. It’s about becoming more like Jesus.
Reflection Questions:
Which of the five facets of Abraham’s faith speaks to your current season?
What can you fast from this week as a way to build your faith muscle?
