From Despair to Destiny

And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the Lord judge between me and thee. But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thine hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face. And the angel of the Lord found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur. And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai. And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands. And the angel of the Lord said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude. (Genesis 16:5-10)

Sarai made a horrible mistake by asking Abraham to lie with her maidservant. She realized the wrong she had done and instead of taking her part of the blame; she laid it upon Abram. My wrong be upon thee is an archaic way to say, “It was your fault that I did this!” Sarai was exceeding upset and when she saw Hagar, once a solution in Sarai’s mind, she was only reminded of her own barrenness. Her jealousy and anger continued to boil against her servant until Hagar was afraid for her own life.

Hagar’s cry, “I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai,” showed the desperation that was in her heart. However, the angel's instruction may seem counterintuitive to us. He said, “Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.” I imagine Hagar was confused. This is the woman who wanted to kill her for nothing she had done wrong, but for the wrong that was done to her! Yet, the angel did not just tell her to return; he spoke a promise from God as well, adding, “I will multiply thy seed exceedingly.” God had a plan to take Hagar from despair to destiny!

Practical Application

God sees the wrong that has been done to you. A part of living in this fallen world is that people can hurt, harm, and offend us in great ways. Yet, God’s plan is not thwarted by wrongdoers. If we seek His face, His promise, His gifts, and His plan can still come to pass, even in the aftermath of affliction. Don’t let despair deny you God’s destiny!

Genesis 17: 20; Genesis 21:13

Reflect on Your Choices

And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife. And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. (Genesis 16:3-4)

After a decade in the land of Canaan, Sarai took a step rooted in the cultural norms of her time, offering Hagar to Abram as a wife. This was never God’s plan nor was it a part of God’s way of doing things, yet it was acceptable and normal in their culture and time.

Genesis 16:3-4 says Abram went in unto Hagar. He didn’t think about, pray about it, or talk about to Sarai about it. He just went. Abraham had no hesitation. He didn’t second guess it or consider the implications or ramifications of the choice to do this; he simply acted on her suggestion because the surrounding society accepted such actions as acceptable. The aftermath of this one act produced many fractured relationships involving Abram, Sarai, and Hagar.

Healthy relationships will not happen because we adapt and follow cultural expectations. The best relationships in our lives come from mutual faith and alignment with God's will. The best friends you have in life are the ones who push you to pursue God despite cultural norms.

Before you make any major changes or decisions, take time to reflect on your choices. Are they rooted in impatience, cultural pressures, or a genuine alignment with God's purpose? If your friendships and connections are rooted in anything other than mutual faith in God, they will lead you to challenging times in your life.

Practical Application

Consider your friendships and connections today. Are they causing you to pursue God or pressuring you to adapt to and conform to cultural norms? Let the story of Sarai encourage you to pursue God and His way only and look for people who push you to pursue Him, not your own way.

Genesis 25:6: Genesis 30:9

The Danger of Maybe

Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. (Genesis 16:1-2)

Yes, God promised, and Sarai believed Him, at least for a while. But in the span of a decade, the promise God made to Abram seemed to be gone, leading Sarai to venture into the dangerous realm of 'maybe.'

“Maybe,” Sarai could have thought, “what God really meant was this…”

“Maybe,” Sarai could have thought, “God wants this to be done another way…”

“Maybe,” Sarai could have thought, “I messed this up and God wants it done differently…”

This ‘maybe' indicates wavering faith and a seed of doubt that, when acted upon, will produce a multitude of negative consequences. Even when we believe in God's promises, time always tests our faith, tempting us to take matters into our own hands.

During Sarai’s season of doubt, Abram should have stepped up to encourage her faith. Instead, he failed in his position as leader of their home and allowed her to stew in her disbelief. Just as Adam was held accountable in the Garden of Eden, Abram bears a large amount of responsibility as a spiritual guide that did not step up to the plate and lead, guide, and support. Men are called to lead their families in faith, to be the first to hear from God, and to anchor their households in the Word of God. Men need to rise up as spiritual leaders, anchoring their families in God's Word and promises.

Practical Application

Have you been waiting on a promise from God to come to pass? Are you wondering: “How long will I have to wait?” Don’t give up in the waiting. God has a plan. Don’t throw your “maybe” seeds of doubt into what God has promised. Write some things God has placed upon your heart and speak faith over them. God is faithful to do what He has promised. Delays are not denials.

Genesis 15:2; Genesis 11:30