You know the story — Abraham and Isaac on the mountain. We’ve all heard sermons about faith, trust, and obedience from it. But recently, something deeper hit me: What if that story is also about identity?
It made me stop and ask myself — where is my identity? Where do I place my trust? Is it in God… or in the blessings He’s given me?
When Trust Quietly Shifts
Sometimes, without realizing it, we start trusting in things that look good:
– Our job.
– Our education.
– Our experience.
– Our nationality.
– Our reputation.
Paul calls all of this “flesh” in Philippians 3. He had the resume — born into the right family, educated under the best teachers, passionate about what he believed — but he said he counts it all as rubbish compared to the prize of knowing Christ. He wasn’t just walking away from sin — he was walking away from misplaced identity.
My Own Wake-Up Call
Back in 2019, I was desperately looking for work in Canada. I had nothing. No connections. No prospects. I was just trusting in God — and by grace, I landed a job that I never imagined I’d get.
Then 2021 came, and I felt it was time for a change — a next step. What did I do?
I prepared.
And prepared.
And overprepared.
Certifications, courses, mock interviews — I was trying everything.
But at the end of December, I sensed God asking me gently, “What are you trusting in?”
Oof. That hit hard.
He reminded me — “When you had nothing, I opened doors. Now you’re relying on your prep more than Me.”
So for one of the interviews, I did something crazy. I stopped preparing. All I wrote in my notebook was: “Have faith in God.”
I went into that interview feeling like I had nothing — except Him.
And guess what? I got the job.
When Layoffs Loom
Fast forward to 2025 — rumors of layoffs were spreading. And once again, I had to check my heart.
I caught myself wanting to declare, “In Jesus’ name, I will not be laid off!”
But the truth? I was panicking.
Why?
Because somewhere deep down, was I trusting in the job — or in the Provider.
And I realized something:
God never promised a job.
He promised to provide.
Even if the job goes, the Provider stays.
Back to Abraham
Abraham had waited his whole life for Isaac. God promised, and God delivered. Isaac was not just a child — he was the fulfillment of everything Abraham had hoped for.
And then God asked for him back.
Think about this:
- If Abraham had said, “Well, if the child dies, it’s okay—God gave him, and God is taking him back,” that would’ve been an act of obedience and faithfulness, like what we see in Job. But it wouldn’t reflect the kind of faith Paul describes in Romans 4—faith that believes in the impossible.
- If Abraham had said, “No, I refuse to believe that God would ask me to do this. He wouldn’t let me be put to shame by letting my child die,” that would’ve revealed a misplaced trust—not in God’s promise, but in his own reputation, or how he would be seen?
- But what Abraham actually believed was something far deeper and more remarkable. He said “yes” to God’s command because he was absolutely convinced that even if Isaac died, God would raise him from the dead—something that had never happened before! That is pure, unshakable trust. His identity wasn’t tied to Isaac, or to the blessings God had given him—it was rooted in the character of God Himself. Abraham believed that no matter what happened, God would keep His promise.
That’s trust. That’s identity in God, not in blessings, reputation, or comfort.
Where’s Your Trust Today?
Let’s be honest. Sometimes we say, “God is my provider” — but what we mean is, “I’m fine as long as my paycheck comes in.”
Sometimes we say, “I trust God” — but we panic when something threatens our image, our job, our plans.
Abraham reminds us that trust isn’t proven in comfort — it’s revealed in surrender.
Final Thoughts
Maybe God is asking you to lay something down.
Maybe He’s whispering, “Do you trust Me with your future… even if it doesn’t look the way you planned?”
He’s not cruel. He’s not trying to take from you.
He’s inviting you to anchor your identity in Him, not in the blessings He’s given.
And you’ll find, just like Abraham did —
The real provision was never the thing you were holding onto.
The real provision is Him.
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