This post was last updated on February 15, 2026

Day 335, Year 1

Be Positive About the Gap Between God’s Promises and Your Experiences

“By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise.” (Hebrews 11:9 NASB)

When Abraham arrived in God’s promised land, he lived in tents like a traveler. Most likely, he had a hunch that he had received God’s promise, yet he had not enjoyed it. When he arrived at the land, was it full of flowers in a fairy scene? Probably not. Instead, he saw idols, faced famine, and feared the lawlessness. Those who obey God will surely receive His promises and blessings, but Abraham didn’t seem so happy. Similarly, on the path of faith, we might feel there is a considerable gap between God’s promises and what we are experiencing.

Many people stumble and are discouraged by the gap between His promises and reality. However, if we meditate on Abraham’s experience, etc., we could be greatly encouraged. It turns out they have received God’s promises, but it sounds like they have not yet received them. When we recognize the gap, we can still believe that the promises are so real for us. This is the faith that God is for His promises in us. Being a traveler in the promised land, Abraham’s experience reminds us of the spiritual experience of many Christians. For instance, the Book of Revelation declares that Jesus is the King of kings and rules over everything. But the reality is the wicked ones are in power, morality is decaying, and some believers are killed. It is really a gap between reality and His promises, too. But when the wicked are in power, if we don’t believe that Jesus is the supreme King, at the very least, we could not make Him king over us, and it would be difficult for us to rely on His wisdom and strength to overcome the evil ahead.

Paul wrote, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NASB) Still, when we come to faith and open our ears, we hear many of the world’s, the flesh, or even the devil’s sounds, but rarely hear His voice. This is the gap between our faith and reality. The point is: We need to find the way to be “in Christ” that enables us to abide in Him. God will lead us, like Joshua, to overcome obstacles and go through many wars before we enter and enjoy the Promised Land and become His new creation. Receiving God’s promises requires effort from strong faith and always choosing to believe in His truth so that the gap between reality and God’s Word continues to narrow. As you obey God and receive His promises, keep praying for His wisdom so you know how to enjoy His promises.

Reflection questions:

1) What encouragement do you get from understanding the gap between Abraham’s promise and his actual experience?

2) Do you believe in God’s promises more than reality so that you can be led by the Lord and become His servant anywhere?