Proverbs 13:12 says 'hope deferred makes the heart sick but a longing fulfilled is the tree of life'. Believing that God will do something is different from waiting for Him to do it. We are so impatient at times that we take things into our own hands and end up making a mess that wasn't the Lord's plan for our lives in the first place.
Sometimes our hasty quick fix solutions have eternal ramifications that affect generations to come. For example let's look at Sarah. Sarah had everything anyone could ever desire. She had servants, a large house, beautiful furniture, a wealthy husband, who was a godly man and who loved her. She had a personal relationship with God and was considered a princess. Wow! The one thing she didn't have and wanted was a baby. But even that God promised to give her. And what did God ask her to do? Wait. That's the hard thing sometimes isn't it?
We see in Genesis 16:1-3 that Sarah got impatient and took things into her own hands. She gave her servant Hagar to her husband to become a surrogate mother for his son. Hagar's child would become Abraham's heir. This was not God's plan so nothing went right. Hagar began to despise her mistress (v.4) and Sarah mistreated her. Hagar flees into the wilderness and God sends an angel to give her a message (v.11-12). The angel tells her this message concerning her child: 'his hand will be against everyone and everyone's hand will be against him and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.'
Many modern day prophets and evangelists blame the problems in the Middle East on the decendants of Ishmael and Isaac, Abraham's two sons. As I said before our quick fix ideas can sometimes have lasting consequences.
Chapter 21:1-2 tells us that 'the Lord was gracious to Sarah as He had said and the Lord did for Sarah what He had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him.' God always keeps His word! If He promised you something He will fulfill it, even if it's not when we think it should be. He will do it according to His plan.
Gladys M.Hunt, a famous author and mother, says: 'don't mess up your life with do-it-yourself projects when God has promised the very best for you.' Wait for God to fulfill His promises to you. Seek His face and wait for His voice.
Let me end this blog entry with the following advice from Psalm 37:
v.3 trust in the Lord and do good.
v.4 delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.
v.5 commit your way to the Lord and trust in Him.
v.7 be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.
v.34 wait for the Lord and keep His way.
God bless.
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