Lessons to Learn From Noah

Practical Takeaways From the Biblical Story

Noah's Ark docked on rocks overlooking a landscape — photostockam / Getty Images

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Updated on February 12, 2019

How would you react if one day God told you that he was going to destroy all the people on earth and you were the one who would ensure his creation lived on? Well, you would probably be pretty shocked, right? Well, Noah faced this exact situation, and he dealt with all the emotions, physical trials, and hurtful words and actions that went along with it. Sometimes what God asks isn’t easy, which is why Noah’s story has some profound lessons for each of us even today.

Lesson One, It Doesn't Matter What Others Think

No matter what we try to tell ourselves, a part of each of us wants to feel accepted. We want to relate to others and live like others. We want to feel normal. Noah lived in a time of great corruption and sin, and he never gave into it. He was seen as different by other people, but also by God. It was his unwillingness to live in the way others lived that set him apart and allowed God to choose Noah for this Herculean task. It didn’t matter what the other people thought of Noah. It mattered what God thought. Had Noah given in and acted like everyone else, he would have perished in the flood. Instead, he ensured humanity and a lot of other creatures survived because he overcame those temptations.

Lesson Two, Be Faithful to God

Noah set himself apart by being faithful to God and not giving into sins. The task of building an ark that could house the wide variety of animals Noah had to save was not going to be easy. God needed someone who was faithful enough to get through the hard times when things weren’t necessarily clear. He needed someone who could listen to His voice and follow His direction. Being faithful to God allowed Noah to fulfill his promise.

Lesson Three, Trust in God to Guide You

It’s not like God just went, “Hey, Noah. Just build an ark, ‘kay?” God gave Noah some pretty specific directions. He had to. In our lives, God gives us directions, too. We have bibles, pastors, parents, and more that all speak to us about our faith and decisions. God provided Noah with everything he needed to build the ark, from wood to the animals he was saving. God will provide for us, too. He will give us everything we need to fulfill our purpose in Him.

Lesson Four, Take Your Strength From God

We all have doubts we face when we’re living our lives for God. It’s normal. Sometimes people try to talk us out of what we’re doing for God. Sometimes things get really rough and we seem to run out of will-power. Noah had those times, too. He was human, after all. But he persevered, and he remained focus on God’s plan. His family made it to safety, and God rewarded them with a rainbow to remind them of what they did for Him and what they survived. God was the one that provided Noah with strength to overcome all his critics and all his difficulties. God can do the same for you, too.

Lesson Five, None of Us Are Immune to Sin

Too often we look only at what Noah did with the ark and we forget that he was also a man who made mistakes. When Noah finally made it to land, he ultimately celebrated too much and ended up sinning. Even the best of us sin. Will God forgive us? Yes. God is very forgiving and provides us with a great deal of grace. However, we need to remember that we can all easily fall prey to sin, so it’s important to stay as strong and as faithful as possible.