Life Lessons: Sarai

Reading: Genesis 16

In Genesis 15 we see Abram receive a promise from the Lord for children. He’s told about future generations and all to come. With this promise comes a promise for Sarai because she is his wife but when we arrive at chapter 16 we see Sarai taking herself out of the picture. I’ve always wondered how long it took to get to this moment. When Abraham originally told her about the promise, did she believe it included her? Did that change as the years went along? As it became more and more unbelievable?

Have you ever been there? Have you ever had a promise or dream from the Father but as the months and years went along you couldn’t see how it could possibly work out so you started to panic? Started to find your own way out? I know I have! There have been moments where time slowly eroded my hope and trust. Where I couldn’t see how God could create and answer from my nothingness so I tried to figure out my own way. I couldn’t see a possible solution, even if God promised, so I tried to create my own option.

I have some good news and bad news. Let’s start with the bad news… Any solution that we come up with will be a disaster if it is outside of the will of God. More bad news, God’s plan is often far outside the realm of logic because that is where faith lies. Now for the good news. God is a promise keeper, not just a promise maker. Also, God is Elohim, the Creator God. He creates amazing things out of absolutely nothing. That’s kind of His thing if you’ve noticed. Look at creation formed from nothing. If He could do that, He can do anything with you!

Now back to Sarai and her very relatable struggle. She was desperate and, if I know anything about women, the timeline she had in her mind for God was running out. Sound familiar? I know it does in my life. I’m all for God’s plan and purpose but I typically have a way I’d like God’s plan to go with dates and cutoffs and all. I’m all onboard until the timeline tests my patience and then I start re-evaluating. The biggest challenge to my faith has always been my impatience. I selfishly want God’s plan and blessings but in MY way which isn’t faith at all. I’ve had a lot of hard lessons in my spiritual journey on the topic of waiting, most of which would have been cleared up quickly if I wasn’t so hardheaded.

God has amazing, unexpected and overwhelming plans for your life. He wants your story to be a testimony of faith and His glory. He wants you to be a part of His miraculous design but that requires trust, faith and patience beyond measure. Don’t take yourself out of the picture because you can’t see how God’s promise could include you. It can. Don’t take things into your own hands because you’re tired of waiting. Things will go terribly wrong. God’s promise is true even if it’s unbelievable. I’m learning I’d rather wait a long time for something unbelievable but true than try to manipulate what little I have to work with in the hopes of scraping out something that’s just a jumbled mess of a situation.

If you are struggling in the waiting let me offer you the biggest piece of wisdom I have figured out. Trust the wait. Write that down. Stick on your mirror. Write it on your Bible. Add it to your journal. Make it your phone wallpaper. God is faithful. He is a promise keeper and sometimes that is hard to grasp but we can trust the wait. Hold tight!

Today’s Prayer

Father, I’m sorry for the times that I take promises out of your hand because I’m tired of waiting. I’m sorry that I take myself out of the design of your plan for a variety of reasons, each as ridiculous as the next. I know that Your plan is beyond anything I could imagine and I know You are overwhelmingly faithful. Help me trust the wait and remember that when Satan fills my mind with doubts.