You’ve wracked your brain trying to think of a solution, and despite your brilliance, there is none. No way out. No hope.
Sigh.
Cry.
“What are we gonna do?” you asked.
Oh, I’ve been there. I’ve struggled so hard to find a way through a problem that my head literally hurt. And at that point, exhausted and frustrated, I gave up and prayed, “God, I can’t do this. I cannot see my way through this. You have to. I quit.”
I didn’t quit my faith. I stopped trying to figure out the solution.
God probably said, “Hallelujah!”
Angel choirs sang a harmonic run, “Ah…..”
“We live by faith not by sight.” (2 Cor. 5:7)
How many times do I try to live by sight?
[tweetability]How often does my vision get in the way of God’s solutions?[/tweetability]
[tweetability]He can see beyond eternity. God’s answers have no boundaries.[/tweetability]
[tweetability]God thinks outside the box.[/tweetability]
One of my favorite Bible stories is the story of Hagar in the desert.
Due to Sarah’s demands, Abraham was forced to send Hagar and Ishmael away. He broken-heartedly sent them into the desert with only a skin of water and some food.
Eventually, the water was gone. It was hot. They were tired. Hagar couldn’t watch her son suffer and die in the desert, so she sat him under a bush, and she sat nearby. She began to cry. She could not see any hope.
But God showed up.
And the Bible says, “Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.” (Genesis 21:19).
The Bible doesn’t say that God magically put the well there or dug it quickly for her.
It was already there.
I believe her desperation blinded her to its presence.
What problem are you desperately trying to fix or find a solution?
Live by faith.
Not by sight.
God has the answer.
With Joy,
Andy, My friend needs this message so badly! She is recently divorced not by her choice. All she can see is the loss and her lost future. But I believe God has a great plan for her. It’s possible her marriage was holding her back. Oh how I pray she’ll turn the corner and trust God to work out the future.
Cathy, your friend is blessed to have you. Keep praying as I know you will. I’ll be praying for her too. The book of Ruth may be a blessing for her to read. I’m currently working on a Bible study for it. It’s such a wonderful story of hope and God’s hand in our lives. I’m sure she will be able to relate to Naomi. Blessings!
God always speaks. Here I am trying to figure out a solution to my dilemma. And I can see none. And I proceed to read your post. Funny thing is, I’ve read several posts lately, yours and others. God keeps speaking to my heart. I just pray I’m smart enough to listen. Thanks Andy, and Dear Lord, thank you.
I’ll be praying for you Anna! May God open your eyes to His provision. Thanks for reading and leaving a comment.
Yes, this is surely the truth! I do love how God showed Himself to be watching over Hagar. However, I am always so confused about how concerned she is over Ishmael here, as though he were a baby, when he was really fourteen. I hope he was just as concerned about her, being the big kid that he was. I guess it just underlines how strong mother-love is and how we never quit seeing our children as our babies.
There is so much more to this story. It is a great one, and you bring up a wonderful point I don’t think I’ve considered before. But the fact that he is 14 makes me think of how Ishmael himself must have felt abandoned and “thrown away” by his dad. Maybe his broken heart concerned Hagar more than the water. My mamma’s heart aches when my kid’s hearts do. Love you my friend! Thanks for commenting, Jan!
We have all been there so many times…..I have lost count of how many for me. I do sometimes hear that sigh from God….”finally” He says. How blessed we are when we just Let God Be God for us
I’m hoping to give up sooner. :)