April 17, 2024
Filling the Gaps
Now Sarai, Abram's wife had borne him no children, and she had an Egyptian maid whose name was Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, “Now behold, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Please go in to my maid; perhaps I will obtain children through her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. After Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Abram's wife Sarai took Hagar the Egyptian, her maid, and gave her to her husband Abram as his wife. He went in to Hagar, and she conceived; and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her sight. And Sarai said to Abram, “May the wrong done me be upon you. I gave my maid into your arms, but when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her sight. May the LORD judge between you and me.” But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your maid is in your power; do to her what is good in your sight.” So, Sarai treated her harshly, and she fled from her presence. Genesis 16:1-6
Has God given you a vision that is yet unfulfilled? Has He assigned you a task that is still incomplete, though you’ve done everything you know to do?
Waiting periods in our life often prepare us for God’s purposes. Maybe there’s a rough edge He must smooth or a relationship He wants to restore before He’ll fully accomplish His purposes. He could be plumbing the depths of your faith, expanding its borders, and proving Himself faithful. Sometimes He’ll use these dry periods for correction, to steer a believer away from rebellion and back in a Godward direction.
Remember, it is always wise to wait upon the Lord while He prepares us for His answers. At such times, we should continue to pray and trust, but it’s essential to refrain from acting until we have heard from Him. This applies even to counsel we’ve sought from godly believers: Their advice can prove helpful but should always be brought to the Lord for His confirmation before we take action.
Anything other than God’s plan carried out God’s way and in God’s timing amounts to self-reliance. Depend on His Spirit when deciding how to proceed; any other course of action won’t lead to the full and abundant life Jesus promised.
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