God promised Abraham that he would be a great nation. His family will be like as many as the stars in the sky (Genesis 15:5). But there was only one problem: his wife Sarai could not bear a son. So Sarai tried to take the matter on her hand and suggested to Abraham to have a relation with her servant, Hagar. (It was customary at that time that the mistress has complete ownership of her servant. She owned any children that her servant would have). Abraham complied with Sarah's suggestion, so Abraham had a son through Hagar, and they named him Ishmael. This bad suggestion brought sorrow to Sarai because her servant started to despised her. Sarai didn't get the result that she was hoping that she would get.
Eventually, in God's timing, Abraham and Sarai had a son and named him Isaac. It was through Isaac that Abraham's family would grow and would eventually become the nation of Israel. Ishamael, on the other hand, became the forefather of the Arab nations. Today, the nation of Israel and most Arab nations have conflict against each other in the middle east. One lesson that we can learn from Sarai's mistakes is that impatience can lead us to bad and wrong decisions. God did not give Abraham and Sarai a son right away because God was still working in their lives. There are times in our lives that God wants us to wait because He is still working in our hearts.
If we have been praying to God for something and God has not granted us our prayer request, let us continue to trust in Him because He is still at work in our situation. He could be teaching us about trust and ourselves. He could be building our character and making us the person He wants us to be. God always listens to our prayers, and He answers them according to his wonderful plan in our lives. Let us continue to wait patiently, and in His perfect timing, God will work out everything according to His perfect plan in our lives.
Ask yourself these questions: What should I do when I am waiting for God to grant my prayer request? Do I believe that God listens to my prayer? What are the reasons that God has not granted my prayer request?
Write down all the worries that you are facing today and lift them up to God.
Prayer:
Father in Heaven, thank you for loving and caring about me. Please help me to wait for you to grant my prayer request patiently. I believe that you are in control and there is nothing impossible for you. Protect me from making hasty decisions that can bring sorrow and disappointments in my life, or even dishonor your name. In your name Jesus, I pray. Amen.
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