Abraham embarks on a journey without fear of failure
“Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing” Genesis 12:1 – 2
- Walking is Abraham’s first of ten tests – the tenth being the Binding of Isaac. For Abraham, traveling to a different land means leaving his comfort zone and undertaking a physical and spiritual journey rife with moments of loneliness and peril. This lonely walk is proof of the great transformation a person can undergo if they possess self-awareness and faith. Abraham gives up on his past for the sake of the future; he replaces the familiar with the unknown.
- Abraham’s walk teaches us that the purpose of life is to rise from one spiritual level to the next. It is a journey designed to help us break habits; it’s not about reaching a specific destination but rather about going deeper into ourselves. This slow, gradual process involves a trajectory of discomfort because the traveler must constantly search, change, renew themselves, and ascend. Personal goals can only be achieved through discomfort and pursuit of inner perfection. Abraham’s journey is a display of boldness and fortitude.
The king of Sodom offers Abraham his nephew Lot in exchange for the spoils
“And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan” Genesis 14:14
- Every action and utterance has great significance. Abraham chooses to not keep the spoils – and in so doing attains spiritual reward for future generations. We too must examine our deeds and thoughts carefully – and focus on pursuing peace, doing good, and acting with generosity. The river of abundance is constantly flowing and we are given endless opportunities to amass treasures beyond our imagination – but it all depends on us. Will we be willing to stretch out our hands?
Pearls of Divine Wisdom: “Go Forth”
- God’s instruction to “go forth” (Genesis 12:1) teaches us to move away from our outdated, materialistic worldview and negative judgments – and instead travel to less familiar places where we can see the good in everything. Our inner compass will guide us on the path leading us to our true, spiritual home.
- Every individual comprises both righteousness and evil. We must continually strengthen our righteous self – the one that can look beyond suffering and sorrow and see the bigger picture.
- Our purpose in life is to go forward – to embark on a journey, break negative habits and vicious cycles, and turn adversity into opportunity. We must not seek to reach a specific destination – but rather delve deeper into ourselves.
- We must head towards the unknown and consciously choose freedom. This means giving up that which is familiar to us – renouncing what we already have for the sake of change, renewal, and impact.
- Spiritual growth is achieved through distress and loss. Breakthroughs can only occur when we transcend convention. This is the reason we must learn to love what is unfamiliar or “other” to us.
Mental strengths are the inner resources providing us with the strength necessary to face obstacles and challenges.
