Facing Impossible Promises: The Story We All Live
Your comfort zone used to feel cozy. Now it feels like a box that's getting smaller every day. But stepping outside feels terrifying.
That’s the story inside Genesis 17. It’s about a man named Abram who gets told, “Your dream will come true, even though it seems ridiculous right now.” It isn’t just about him, though. It’s about how something new begins in everyone—not when things are easy, but when they look impossible and your heart aches to grow anyway.
The more you trust the connection, the stronger the signal becomes.
What Genesis 17 Says: Big Promises and Big Changes
“When Abram was ninety-nine years old, Yahweh appeared to Abram and said to him, ‘I am God Almighty. Walk before me, and be blameless. I will make my covenant between me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.’ … Abram fell on his face. God talked with him, saying, ‘As for me, behold, my covenant is with you. You will be the father of a multitude of nations. … No longer will your name be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham; for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.’” (Genesis 17:1-5 WEB)
At first, this sounds like just a story about a very old man and a mysterious voice. But really, it’s a story about hitting the limits of what you’ve always believed about yourself…and daring to believe something bigger is possible, even when your “proof” in the world says otherwise.
Every Character Is a Part of You
What if the voice calling The bigger awareness speaks through callings—not just what you should do, but who you're becoming in the process. you forward has been waiting patiently for you to listen?
In stories like this, each “person” is really a state inside you:
- God (Yahweh) in this chapter is your awareness—the part of you that sees your deepest desires, even when you feel small or stuck.
- Abram/Abraham is that part of you that is used to being a certain way, living in old routines, but dreams of growing or becoming more.
- Sarai/Sarah (who appears in the chapter) is the place inside you that quietly hopes, even when it seems too late.
This story describes the way you go from believing things are just “how they are” to breaking through and choosing to let your sense of what’s possible grow—even when everyone else might say you’re dreaming.
Promises in the Middle of the Impossible
Imagine a small business owner who’s always run a barbershop in the same way for years. Suddenly, the world is changing—maybe there’s a new technology, a bigger brand moving in, or customers acting differently. He’s told by all his friends, “You’re too old to change.” But deep inside, he wants to grow. One night, he gets a spark of awareness (maybe a big idea, or just a warm feeling that more is possible), and it won’t leave him alone.
Genesis 17 is about what happens next. When that spark shows up, you face a choice. Will you shut down and give up because it “makes no sense”? Or will you let your awareness of new possibilities become the start of something bigger—even if you have no proof yet?
“God said to Abraham, ‘As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but her name will be Sarah. I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her.’ … Then Abraham fell on his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, ‘Will a child be born to him who is one hundred years old? Will Sarah, who is ninety years old, give birth?’” (Genesis 17:15-17 WEB)
Abraham’s first reaction is like most people’s—he laughs. Not just because it sounds funny, but because the old facts about himself say, “That’s impossible. I’m too old. I’ve missed my chance.” That laugh is what happens inside when you want something, but old patterns of thinking shut it down.
Your biggest fear might be. Remember when ordinary to extraordinary seemed impossible
Consider Lisa, who started learning piano at 45 and now teaches others it's never too late.
When You’re Asked to Believe Bigger
The clearer you see it inside, the clearer it shows up outside.
Notice how the story doesn’t judge Abraham for laughing. Instead, it keeps going. The awareness (God) gently insists: “Your dream isn’t just wishful thinking. It’s possible—if you will let go of your old story about who you are.”
Changing Your Name—Changing Your Identity
Switching from “Abram” to “Abraham,” and from “Sarai” to “Sarah,” means your inner identity is shifting:
- Abram/Sarai = The old version of you that lives in survival, just getting by, doing things the usual way.
- Abraham/Sarah = The new version of you, stepping into a larger story, willing to be the source of something new, even when you can’t see “how.”
This happens to anyone who decides to start a new business when their old job gets boring, or a creative who writes a book for the first time, or even a parent who chooses to raise a child with new values, different from how they were raised. You choose to be “the start of something bigger”—even if the world says it can’t be done.
Real Life Example: Rebranding Yourself
Development Insight: Expectation helps you receive what's trying to come through.
The experiment evolves: first you test if guidance comes, then you test how consistently you can receive it.
Think about Colonel Sanders, the founder of KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken). He spent most of his life trying—and failing—at various jobs. He didn’t create his famous fried chicken until he was in his sixties. Imagine how it felt for him to start fresh when most people told him it was “too late.” But he believed there was something more possible and went for it anyway. His story is a lot like Abraham’s—a “name change,” a new identity, and a breakthrough that changed what was possible, not just for him, but for the world.
The Covenant: Taking Responsibility for Your Dream
“This is my covenant, which you shall keep… every male among you shall be circumcised. … It will be a sign of the covenant between me and you.” (Genesis 17:10-11 WEB)
The “covenant” is not just a contract. It’s a commitment you make with your own awareness. To be willing to do something you’ve never done (in the story, circumcision means cutting away old limitations, making a clear break). For you, it might mean:
Your vision creates a magnetic pull. Life reorganizes to match it.
- Investing actual money in your new idea, even when it feels scary.
- Telling someone you trust about your dream, making it real through words.
- Giving up the habit of calling The bigger awareness speaks through callings—not just what you should do, but who you're becoming in the process. yourself “just” the old version—no more, “I’m just not a risk-taker,” or “I’m too set in my ways.”
Is there a “step” you know you need to take if you’re going to move forward? What old comfort have you been clinging to that you might need to release?
When Doubt Shows Up (Ishmael vs. Isaac)
“Abraham said to God, ‘Oh that Ishmael might live before you!’ God said, ‘No, but Sarah, your wife, will bear you a son. … I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this time next year.’” (Genesis 17:18-21 WEB)
Abraham already had a son, Ishmael, by another woman. This part of the story means: when you go for a big dream, your old way of getting things done (like pushing, forcing, or settling for what’s “good enough”) will always feel easier and safer. But if you want to step into something truly new, you have to trust that life wants to grow something better through you—something you couldn’t produce through old habits alone.
It’s like when an entrepreneur keeps trying to hustle through long hours and burnout, even though what’s truly needed is a breakthrough in vision. Or when a creator tries to copy what used to work, instead of letting a new style emerge. Are you willing to trust that deeper awareness knows how to make something new through you—even as doubts and fear show up?
Action and the Power of Following Through
“In the same day, Abraham was circumcised… as God had said to him.” (Genesis 17:26 WEB)
It’s not enough to feel inspired or dream big dreams. You move into a new state—the true “Abraham” inside—by following through in real life with courageous action. This doesn’t mean being reckless. It simply means: when you know what’s needed, you do it, even if it’s uncomfortable or new.
Your results journal becomes your faith builder. Evidence over belief.
This completes the journey of awareness in this chapter:
- You discover a deeper wish or promise inside (awareness expands).
- You question (this seems impossible!).
- You let your sense of what’s possible change (a “name change”).
- You let go of an old story or way (the “covenant”).
- You trust new life can appear through you, not just by old methods.
- You act on what you know inside, making the possible real.
What This Means for You
Every person hits points where their desires outgrow their old ways. Genesis 17 shows you how to become more:
- Notice when something bigger is calling The bigger awareness speaks through callings—not just what you should do, but who you're becoming in the process. you—even if it seems impossible.
- Let your sense of who you “are” expand. Maybe you’re not just “the same old you” after all.
- Don’t be afraid to start small, or to laugh at how weird it feels at first.
- Make a real commitment, letting go of habits or labels that no longer fit.
- Act, even if it feels scary. The act itself changes you, not just the outcome.
Is there a dream you feel is “too late” or “too big” for you right now? What’s one small step you could take today that would make your new identity real—even just for yourself?
Try This: Step into Your New Name
Here’s something you can do right now. Think of one thing you want but have been talking yourself out of (a business, a book, a new skill). Take a piece of paper and write out:
- What would the “old you” do (or say)? Write this out, honestly.
- Now write, “The new me does this instead:” List one action the “grown” version of you would take—even if it’s tiny, like sending an email or buying a book.
- When you’re done, take the action today.
You don’t have to have it all figured out. You just need to be willing to answer the call of your own growing awareness.
Next: Genesis 18—When New Possibilities Appear
In the next chapter, guests arrive at Abraham’s door—messengers that bring the impossible promise to life. We’ll talk about what happens when new opportunities show up unexpectedly, and how to welcome them, even when you feel unprepared.
The quality of your questions determines the quality of guidance you receive.
Your awareness is always inviting you to step forward—and that’s where every new adventure begins.
