Foreign Ground, Familiar Faith
Hebrews 13:8 NLT Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
We are often comforted by the familiar — the known details of life, the who, what, when, where, and how that make us feel safe and secure. There is ease in having the full picture, in knowing how things will turn out. But in today’s world, where everyone has a voice and oversharing is common, I’ve noticed something: when all the details aren’t shared, people rush to fill in the gaps, often misunderstanding or misjudging
Yet, no one is obligated to reveal the inner workings of their lives. Not everyone is meant to carry the weight of your calling or understand the path God has set before you.
These moments — when we walk on unfamiliar, uncertain ground — can feel lonely, frustrating, daunting, and confusing. Our relationship with God can sometimes feel this way, too. He may show us where to go, but not when. He may reveal who will help us, but not how it will come together. Sometimes, the place He leads us feels chaotic rather than clear.
These “foreign places” — where answers are scarce and assurance seems distant — test our faith. They challenge us, making us question and wonder, “When will my breakthrough come?” or “Why do I feel so unseen?” But these moments are not meant to break us. They are the soil where faith grows deep and strong.
Because when we trust in Jesus Christ, our identity and hope aren’t tied to what we understand or see. Our faith isn’t dependent on every detail being clear. Instead, it rests on the unchanging faithfulness of God.
Though the scenarios we face may seem foreign, the faith we hold remains the same. The foreign places reveal what — or who — we truly put our trust in. May we be reminded today that even in the unknown, God is faithful, and in Him, we find our strength.
When we take the time to posture ourselves and pray, he empowers us to navigate foreign ground with a faith that’s not just familiar but one that’s faithful. We have our strategy below:
Pause for God to calm your heart, mind, and soul
Reassess what’s foreign versus what’s faith
Act in a way that is aligned with faith; this simultaneously deconstructs the foreign
Yearn for God’s perspective to help you continue in faith (as you are deconstructing foreign), become hungry to ask God to help you overcome.
