Embracing Good Enough Faith in Uncertainty

 

Summary

In today's message, we explored the concept of "good enough faith," a faith that doesn't require perfection or heroism but is sufficient for God to work with. This idea is inspired by the notion of the "good enough parent," introduced by British psychiatrist Donald Winnicott, which suggests that being "good enough" is sufficient to raise a well-adjusted child. Similarly, our faith doesn't need to be flawless; it just needs to be enough to trust God and take the next step.

We examined the life of Abraham, a central figure in the Bible and a model of faith for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Abraham's journey was marked by a deep desire to become the patriarch of a great nation. God promised him this, but the path was fraught with ambiguity and challenges. Abraham's faith was not without its doubts and backup plans, as seen in his decisions involving Lot, Eliezer, and Hagar. Despite these missteps, Abraham's faith was "good enough" for God to fulfill His promises.

The story of Abraham teaches us that God often uses ambiguity to develop our character. If God had provided Abraham with a detailed plan from the start, Abraham might not have grown in faith and character. Instead, God gave him just enough light to take the next step, teaching us that faith is about trusting God in the midst of uncertainty.

Today, we are encouraged to embrace "good enough faith." This means relying on God even when the path isn't clear, and trusting that He is at work in our lives. We are reminded that God's faithfulness is greater than our doubts and that His grace covers our imperfections. Just as Abraham's story was one of grace, so too is ours. We are called to lean into this grace, trusting that God will guide us through life's ambiguities.

Key Takeaways:

1. Embrace Personal Inadequacy: Recognizing our inadequacy is the first step toward relying on God's sufficiency. We don't need to have perfect faith; we just need to trust that God is adequate and will guide us through our journey. [02:00]

2. The Role of Ambiguity: God often uses ambiguity to shape our character. Like Abraham, we grow more through wrestling with uncertainty than by having a clear blueprint. This process helps us develop judgment and character. [10:31]

3. Faith in Action: Abraham's story shows that faith involves taking action even when the outcome is uncertain. His willingness to leave his home and follow God's call, despite his doubts, exemplifies "good enough faith." [04:13]

4. God's Faithfulness Over Our Fickleness: Despite Abraham's double-mindedness and backup plans, God's faithfulness remained steadfast. This teaches us that God's grace is greater than our imperfections and doubts. [12:37]

5. Leaning into Grace: Good enough faith means leaning into God's grace, trusting that He is at work even when we don't have all the answers. This reliance on grace allows us to navigate life's uncertainties with confidence. [12:49]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [02:00] - Recognizing Inadequacy
- [02:26] - Good Enough Faith
- [03:00] - Abraham's Heart's Desire
- [04:00] - God's Promise and Command
- [04:28] - Abraham's Journey Begins
- [05:08] - Abraham's Doubts and Backup Plans
- [06:09] - The Story of Hagar and Ishmael
- [07:16] - Isaac's Birth and Abraham's Continued Doubts
- [08:23] - Abraham's Additional Sons
- [09:34] - The Role of Ambiguity
- [10:31] - Character Development Through Uncertainty
- [11:14] - Relying on God
- [12:25] - God's Faithfulness and Grace
- [13:03] - Conclusion and Call to Faith

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Good Enough Faith

Bible Reading:
1. Genesis 12:1-4 - The Call of Abram
2. Genesis 15:1-6 - God's Covenant with Abram
3. Genesis 21:1-7 - The Birth of Isaac

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Observation Questions:

1. What was Abraham's heart's desire, and how did God respond to it? ([03:26])
2. How did Abraham's actions reflect his doubts and backup plans throughout his journey? ([05:08])
3. What role did ambiguity play in Abraham's journey, according to the sermon? ([10:31])
4. How did God's faithfulness manifest in Abraham's life despite his double-mindedness? ([12:37])

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the concept of "good enough faith" challenge the traditional view of needing perfect faith to please God? ([02:26])
2. In what ways did Abraham's journey illustrate the development of character through ambiguity and uncertainty? ([10:31])
3. How does the story of Abraham and his sons illustrate the idea of God's grace being greater than human imperfections? ([12:49])
4. What does the sermon suggest about the relationship between personal inadequacy and reliance on God's sufficiency? ([02:00])

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you felt inadequate in your faith. How can recognizing this inadequacy lead you to rely more on God's sufficiency? ([02:00])
2. Think about a situation in your life that is currently ambiguous or uncertain. How can you practice "good enough faith" by trusting God in this situation? ([11:44])
3. Abraham had backup plans due to his doubts. Are there areas in your life where you have backup plans instead of fully trusting God? How can you address this? ([05:08])
4. How can you lean into God's grace when you feel your faith is not strong enough? What practical steps can you take to remind yourself of God's faithfulness? ([12:49])
5. Identify a specific area in your life where you need to take action despite uncertainty. What is one step you can take this week to move forward in faith? ([04:13])
6. How can you cultivate patience and trust in God's timing, especially when His plans are not immediately clear to you? ([11:56])
7. Consider the role of community in supporting your faith journey. How can you engage with others to strengthen your faith and theirs in times of doubt? ([12:08])

Devotional

Day 1: Trusting God's Sufficiency in Our Inadequacy
Recognizing our own inadequacy is the first step toward relying on God's sufficiency. We often feel the pressure to have perfect faith, but the truth is, our faith only needs to be "good enough" for God to work with. Just as a "good enough parent" can raise a well-adjusted child, our faith doesn't need to be flawless. It simply needs to be enough to trust God and take the next step. This understanding frees us from the burden of perfection and allows us to lean on God's adequacy. [02:00]

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (ESV): "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel inadequate? How can you invite God to show His sufficiency in that area today?


Day 2: Embracing Ambiguity for Character Growth
God often uses ambiguity to shape our character. Like Abraham, we grow more through wrestling with uncertainty than by having a clear blueprint. This process helps us develop judgment and character, teaching us to trust God even when the path isn't clear. Abraham's journey was marked by uncertainty, yet it was through this uncertainty that his faith and character were refined. Embracing ambiguity allows us to rely on God and grow in ways we might not have imagined. [10:31]

James 1:2-4 (ESV): "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

Reflection: Think of a current situation in your life that feels uncertain. How might God be using this ambiguity to develop your character?


Day 3: Taking Action in Faith Despite Uncertainty
Abraham's story shows that faith involves taking action even when the outcome is uncertain. His willingness to leave his home and follow God's call, despite his doubts, exemplifies "good enough faith." Faith is not passive; it requires us to step out and trust God with the unknown. By taking action, we demonstrate our trust in God's promises and His ability to guide us through uncertainty. [04:13]

Hebrews 11:8 (ESV): "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going."

Reflection: What is one step of faith you feel God is calling you to take today, even if the outcome is uncertain?


Day 4: Relying on God's Faithfulness Over Our Fickleness
Despite Abraham's double-mindedness and backup plans, God's faithfulness remained steadfast. This teaches us that God's grace is greater than our imperfections and doubts. We can trust that His promises are sure, even when we falter. God's faithfulness is not dependent on our ability to remain steadfast; rather, it is rooted in His unchanging nature. This assurance allows us to rest in His grace and trust in His promises. [12:37]

2 Timothy 2:13 (ESV): "If we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself."

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you doubted God's faithfulness. How can you remind yourself of His steadfastness in your current circumstances?


Day 5: Leaning into Grace Amidst Uncertainty
Good enough faith means leaning into God's grace, trusting that He is at work even when we don't have all the answers. This reliance on grace allows us to navigate life's uncertainties with confidence. Just as Abraham's story was one of grace, so too is ours. We are called to lean into this grace, trusting that God will guide us through life's ambiguities and uncertainties. [12:49]

Romans 5:1-2 (ESV): "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God."

Reflection: In what ways can you lean into God's grace today, especially in areas where you feel uncertain or anxious?

Quotes

i want to talk to you today about good enough faith not heroic faith not saintly faith not ideal perfect faith just good enough what is that we're on this journey from ashes to beauty to god to easter to life and where it starts is the recognition i am not adequate we celebrate the recognition of personal inadequacy you are inadequate too and then we come to believe that there is one who is adequate there is one who is all-powerful and he is god and he would help us [00:01:48]

abraham had a heart's desire and his heart's desire we all have a heart's desire was to be a patriarch the head of a great tribe a great clan that sounds a little odd to us but in the ancient world it was very much the equivalent of wanting to be the ceo of a great startup the head of the next apple or google or facebook or whatever he wanted this morning wanted anything and so god comes to him one day and god gives him a promise and a command the promise is he's going to get his heart's desire [00:03:28]

and the command is i want you to go i want you to leave your home your country your father's household and go to the place that i will show you pretty ambiguous information will be given on a need to know basis and abraham leaves he actually does what god says now there's a contrast with his father terah we're told earlier had left er where abraham was from and set out for canaan where abraham was to go but when he reached tehran he settled there story doesn't tell exactly but it may well be that he was not willing to go all the way to the place where god wanted for his new community to begin but abraham went and that was good enough for god [00:04:06]

abraham is double-minded abraham doubts abraham is quite fickle and we see this because when he leaves he brings not just his wife sarah but his nephew lot now he was supposed to leave his father's household lot was part of his father's household why would abraham bring lot well abraham's 75 years old and it occurs to him you know i'm not sure about this i don't know that this is going to work i don't think medicare covers viagra and so a lot was like plan b in case god's plan doesn't work if i can't have lots of children maybe i could have lots children [00:04:51]

and god comes back to abraham and makes things a little clearer this land that you're looking at now it'll be this land and your offspring and more time passes but still no child when god returns abraham says what gift do you want to give to me and eleazar my servant who i have named my heir now why would you name your servant your heir well because you think that you are not going to have any biological children to be your heir and god says no no no not lot but also not eleazar it will be the offspring of your own body makes it a little clearer [00:05:51]

and god does and if you know the story then you know that's abraham's son isaac and through some very dramatic moments isaac grows up and everybody lives happily ever after except accept except i had never noticed this part of the story before when we think that abraham has achieved the pinnacle of faith and trusting god and so and isaac is a grown man and uh he is married off to a wonderful virtuous beautiful woman named rebecca sarah dies and abraham marries again a woman named katura and they have not one not two but six children all of them boys [00:07:16]

and so it seems to be the case that abraham says to himself well i'm not so sure about this you know i didn't just want to have a son i want to be a patriarch and if it's not going to happen with isaac so he takes another wife and he has six more boys this is now planned d e f g h and i and it's not until isaac and rebecca finally have twin boys jacob and esau and those boys get old enough so that it's clear that the line will continue the tribe will increase abraham finally can see his way to his heart's desire [00:08:15]

even after everything had happened and isaac had come along and abraham had trusted god he is still double-minded he is still not sure he is still making backup clans he's got enough faith to leave when god calls him to leave doesn't have enough faith to wait and yet his faith is good enough for god to work with [00:09:09]

apparently god disagrees with that apparently it turns out that strategic ambiguity is indispensable to the formation of character apparently abraham is going to grow if he has to struggle and wrestle and not understand and make mistakes and come to a clearer understanding of god and form judgment and character abraham will grow and develop much more through ambiguity than he would have if he had just gotten a crystal clear blueprint from the very beginning [00:10:23]

we get a guide not a map somebody wrote a long time ago your car's headlights only project about 15 feet into the distance but that'll be enough to get you home that'll be enough to get you home so that's good enough faith not perfect not ideal abraham was willing to rely on god to trust god and god was content to accept that in the place of abraham's perfection [00:10:56]

accept amen good enough faith don't expect quick don't expect clear don't expect easy don't give up don't give out don't quit today in the middle of ambiguity just say god i'm relying on you you can name all those places where you would like to have more clarity and say god i am trusting that even in the midst of this you are at work and i will do the best i can as you help me i will ask for clarity but i will live with it i will accept it if you don't give me clarity and i will receive patience and if i can't be patient on my own i will ask for your help today aim at good enough faith not perfect not ideal good enough faith [00:11:32]

the wonderful thing about abraham is even when you know it seems like the moral of the story is done and isaac showed up and the flannelgraph board is put away he's still fickle he's still double-minded but god's faithfulness is greater than abraham's fickleness and he's called a friend of god that's grace and the six boys those six sons of keturah that came after ishmael and after isaac well it turns out they all became patriarchs too they all had a great story with god on their own as well and that's grace too that's grace too it's all grace and that's the story of the gospel according to the eight sons of abraham that's good enough faith [00:12:22]

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Transcript
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