From Fear to Faithfulness: Building with Trust in Unfamiliar Territory
- Bukola aanuskincare@gmail.com
- May 12
- 3 min read
Have you ever felt called, but afraid? Assigned, but uncertain? Saved, but still settling for less?
That’s the story we uncover in Genesis 19 and 20. Two men, Lot and Abraham, are intimately connected to the covenant, visited by God, and deeply afraid of the environment they were sent into. Their choices speak volumes to us today, especially for those called to build something significant.
Lot Feared the Mountain: When You Survive, But Don’t Ascend
In Genesis 19:20, after being rescued from the destruction of Sodom by angels, Lot makes an unusual plea:
“I cannot escape to the mountain… let me flee to this small place. Isn’t it just a little one?”
Lot didn’t look back like his wife. But neither did he look up.He feared the warfare, the altitude, the cost of the climb. Instead of heading toward the mountain, the high place of divine appointment, he negotiated for Zoar, a nearby, insignificant place.It was technically safe… but spiritually small.
That moment of fear became a doorway to generational consequences.Lot went on to birth Moab and Ammon, nations birthed in isolation and trauma, who later became enemies of Abraham’s descendants.
What we build in fear often resists what God intended to build through faith.
Abraham Feared the Land: When You Protect Yourself Instead of Trusting God
Fast forward to Genesis 20. Abraham, fresh from angelic visitation and a renewed promise, is traveling into the land of Gerar. And what does he do? He lies.
“She is my sister.” Genesis 20:2
He feared the foreign environment. He assumed there was no fear of God in the land. So, he hedged his truth to preserve his safety. This wasn’t a man without faith, it was a man who momentarily assessed the terrain rather than trusting the One who sent him.
And yet… God calls him a prophet.
“Now therefore, restore the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live.” Genesis 20:7
Even after Abraham's fear-based strategy, God didn’t revoke his calling.He reaffirmed it.
Both Lot and Abraham Looked Around, Not Up
Lot feared the warfare of the mountain.Abraham feared the hostility of the land.
Both made choices out of fear, not faith.
And yet, God was still faithful:
He protected Sarah
He warned Abimelech in a dream
He used Abraham to intercede for the very king endangered by his lie
This is the nature of covenant: it is upheld by God's faithfulness, not our flawless performance.
Restoration: More Than Return
Abimelech didn’t just return Sarah. He added wealth, servants, silver.He honored Abraham with gifts and a public declaration of innocence.
Why?
Because in ancient biblical culture, restoration wasn’t just about giving back, it was about multiplying, honouring, and covering.
Scriptural proof?
Exodus 22:1 – “He shall restore fivefold.”
Proverbs 6:31 – “He must restore sevenfold.”
Job 42:10 – “The Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.”
Luke 19:8 – “I restore fourfold.”
Joel 2:25 – “I will restore the years the locusts have eaten.”
God’s heart is not just to restore what was lost, but to exceed what was feared. So What Does This Mean for You, A Builder Today?
It means you might be:
Delaying a project because the terrain looks hostile
Hiding behind a safe brand instead of a visible mandate
Negotiating for “just enough” because the mountain feels too risky
But God is still calling.He hasn’t revoked your name.He hasn’t forgotten the original design.And even if you’ve tried to protect yourself, He’s already been protecting you.
God doesn’t abandon covenant. He restores it, and the builder within it.
You Don’t Have to Settle for Zoar
Maybe you’ve survived. You’ve escaped the old place.But have you ascended?
This is your time to stop shrinking, hiding, or negotiating your destiny down to something “small enough to feel safe.”
It’s time to trust the One who called you, not just out of destruction, but into inheritance.
The Builder’s LaunchPad is a 12-week prophetic and strategic journey for women who know they were born to build, but need clarity, courage, and alignment to move forward.
We’ll cover:
Hearing God clearly in transition
Breaking out of fear-based strategies
Structuring what you’ve been carrying
Moving from private obedience to public release
Final Word:
You’ve been preserved. Now it’s time to be positioned. You’ve been protected. Now it’s time to build.
Don’t look back.Don’t settle for Zoar. And above all, don’t forget to look up.
The mountain is still calling.
With Love & Expectations,
Bukola Olumofin
Founder, Transformative Co
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