Second Chances: Having Impact with Your Faith

The New Year is around the corner and we all need new faith! Part of developing a new faith is having the courage to face challenging areas of your life with God.

The Bible has many examples of people who were willing to believe through hard times. These are people who made decisions to do good despite their challenging past or terrible odds. They were given a second chance by God to believe again and made an impact on the world.

Read through these examples and be inspired to set goals for impact in the new year!

Noah

It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith.

Hebrews 11:7 (NLT)

Noah had faith to do what God wanted even though it had never been done before and no one else believed.

Abraham

Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!”

Romans 4:18 (NLT)

Abraham believed against all hope. He kept hoping because he focused on God and not himself.

Sarah

It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed that God would keep his promise.

Hebrews 11:11 (NLT)

Sarah didn’t look at her age or her ability, she looked at God and his faithfulness to keep his promise.

Job

But Job replied, “You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” So in all this, Job said nothing wrong.

Job 2:10 (NLT)

Job had many hardships but was never unfaithful to God. He understood God’s character beyond the circumstances that he experienced.

Gideon

Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!”

Judges 6:14 (NLT)

God believed in Gideon even when he didn’t believe in himself. He told Gideon he was already equipped to fight a huge army, he just needed to believe that God was with him.

Canaanite Woman

But she came and worshiped him, pleading again, “Lord, help me!” 26 Jesus responded, “It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.”27 She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their masters’ table.” 28 “Dear woman,” Jesus said to her, “your faith is great. Your request is granted.” And her daughter was instantly healed.

Matthew 15:25-28 (NLT)

She had faith when Jesus told her no. She kept asking and finding ways to inspire Jesus to answer her.

Joseph

You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.

Genesis 50:20 (NLT)

Joseph stayed focused on what God was doing (saving people) even when life was hard and he wasn’t treated fairly.

Moses

By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.

Hebrews 11:24 (NLT)

Moses was willing to lead and follow God even though he was set up well in his adopted family.

Esther

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”

Esther 4:14 (NIV)

Esther responded to her uncle’s faith and risked everything to make a difference with her life.

Jesus

While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. 8 Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.

Hebrews 5:7-8 (NLT)

Even Jesus had to learn through hard times in his life and never lost sight of God’s purpose for him.