Have you ever felt like you were on the verge of something big, something you knew God was calling you toward, but you just couldn’t quite get there? Maybe you started moving in faith, but along the way, you got stuck—whether it was fear, grief, discouragement, or just the pull of comfort.

That’s exactly what we see in Genesis 11:27-32 with the story of Terah, Abram’s father. His journey started with good intentions, but he never reached his destination.

“Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Haran, they settled there.” – Genesis 11:31

At first glance, this passage might seem like a simple transition before we get to Abram’s calling in Genesis 12, but there’s something deeper happening. Terah started heading toward Canaan—the very place God later told Abram to go—but he stopped short. He settled in Haran, and that’s where he stayed.

We don’t know exactly why he stopped, but there are a few clues. The text tells us that Terah had lost his son, Haran, back in Ur. Maybe grief made him stop moving forward. Maybe he saw the city of Haran—named the same as his son—and thought it was a sign. Maybe it was just comfortable, familiar, or financially beneficial to stay. Whatever the reason, he never finished what he started.

And isn’t that something we all struggle with?

Maybe God has called you to something—ministry, a career, a relationship, a deeper step of faith—but somewhere along the way, you settled. Maybe the process was harder than you expected. Maybe fear crept in, or life got in the way. Maybe, like Terah, comfort started looking better than obedience.

What’s interesting is that God didn’t give up on His plan just because Terah stopped. Genesis 12 begins with God calling Abram to finish the journey his father never completed.

That’s a sobering reminder. If we don’t step into what God is calling us to do, He will find someone else to do it. Delayed obedience is still disobedience.

The passage also gives us another important detail:

“Now Sarai was childless because she was not able to conceive.” – Genesis 11:30

At first, this might seem like a small fact thrown into the genealogy, but it’s actually setting the stage for one of the greatest miracles in Scripture. God was about to call Abram to be the father of a great nation—but how could that happen when his wife couldn’t have children?

God often starts His plans with something that seems impossible. He could have chosen a couple that already had children, but He didn’t. He started with a situation where only His power could bring the promise to life.

That’s how He works in our lives too. Maybe you’re looking at something right now that seems hopeless. Maybe you feel like you don’t have what it takes, like your circumstances are too big, or like there’s no way forward. But God doesn’t wait for ideal conditions to move. He works through the impossible so there’s no doubt that He gets the glory.

Terah’s story is a cautionary tale, but Abram’s story is an invitation. One man stopped short, but the other stepped forward in faith. One stayed where it was comfortable; the other trusted God into the unknown.

Where do you see yourself in this story? Have you started something but stopped before reaching the destination? Have you been stuck in a place that feels “good enough” but isn’t actually where God is calling you? Maybe you’ve been hesitant to take that next step because the unknown feels too risky.

Obedience always requires trust. Abram had to leave behind his father’s past and everything familiar in order to step into God’s plan. Sometimes, following God means letting go of comfort, security, and even past mindsets that are holding us back.

If you’ve felt stuck, discouraged, or like you’ve settled in a place God never meant for you to stay, this is your reminder: God is still calling you forward.

Father, thank You for reminding us that our journey with You is not just about starting well, but about following through in faith. Show us the places where we’ve settled when You were calling us to keep going. Give us the courage to step forward, even when we don’t have all the details. We trust You with the unknown, knowing that You are always working behind the scenes. Amen.

Listen to the full episode here: Following God’s Lead