Who does God say you are…when you feel like giving up?
Some days it is easy to want to give in to emotions and give up on dreams, or goals, or just survival. We read about Hagar in Genesis 16. She was an Egyptian maidservant to Sarai, Abram’s wife. When she became pregnant with Abram’s son, at Sarai’s suggestion, there developed bitterness between the two. Sarai mistreated Hagar and the pregnant servant ran away into the desert. An angel of the Lord told Hagar to return to Sarai and Abram where she gave birth to Abram’s son, Ishmael.
Hagar probably felt secure in Abram’s household while Ishmael was his only son. But when the elderly Sarai finally became pregnant with the child God had promised, Hagar and Ishmael was banished. Hagar again found herself in the wilderness with little water and food, only now she had a child to watch die of thirst. She separated herself from him to avoid hearing his cries and prepared to die from her circumstances.
God had not abandoned her during her first ordeal and He heard her cries again. An angel of the Lord told her to take the boy by the hand because “God will make him into a great nation.” (vs. 18) God then showed her a well and they survived to fulfill God’s promise.
When I was young I won’t allow myself to dream about my desires of wanting a loving family. I gave up on life because I thought my dream was unattainable. God gave me a vision of that dream in my future. Like Sarai, I laughed. But still I wondered; what if I give up just before the dream becomes possible. What if I gave up and God showed me what could have been mine if only I had trusted Him. That well of refreshing water may be just beyond my vision. Nothing is beyond God’s vision or care. Don’t give up on God because you can’t see the answer.
Have you ever felt like giving up on a dream or a goal that you thought God had given you? How did you keep your trust during discouraging circumstances?
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Nancey, I love this post. I dreamed of becoming a full-time public school teacher for years. But limitations and setbacks caused by fibromyalgia held me back. I even had 12 interviews in the course of 2 years with no offers. That was so painful. But when I tell my friends about this unfulfilled dream, they tell me when I pray, share, and write, in effect, I am teaching every day. They say to teach in the avenues that God opens up instead.
Lynn, you are touching lives everyday. You are right where God can use you.
As a woman with Cerebral Palsy, I had big plans. I wanted to be independent so I struggled through college in order to I could get a job and be self-supportive. I was heart-broken when those doors were slammed in my face after graduating. The Lord taught me that I had to repent of trying to be my own boss. Then He gave me rest and He restored in me a new vision and confidence that He had ways that He wanted me to serve Him.
Several years later, as my daughter and I were touring her college campus (which was my alma mater), she said, “Look mom, you’ve done everything you’d planned to do in your life!” Indeed I had. Not the way I had planned, but the way He had planned. He’d given me a daughter too! Which was way beyond my plan!
Lyla, thank you for your story. When we look back, we see that God gave us what truely mattered.
I was excited with the new life God had put in front of me, a Salon & business experience for the last four year. But now it’s dwindling and not making a profit. At first I question, why would God bring me to this area, only to fail down the road? I have such wonderful Godly people in my life who remind me that God does always have a plan. And I do beleve there is always a plan. I looked back at things that happen in my life & see that the paths that we were brought down made sence. So we are being sent down a different path, unknown yet. While trying to keep the salon going, if for nothing else but my sanity. My husband & I will try or hand at eBay sales. He’s been layed off from his job so we see it as an opportunity to get it all set up. God does know what’s best for us if we only listen. And allow ourself to accept the hints put out for us.
Robin, God gave you that salon for a reason and brought many people to you. You touched their lives and I’m sure he had a plan for that. He will never leave or forsake you.