Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you just couldn't be content? Maybe it was a job, a relationship, or a material possession. Whatever it was, you believed that if you just had that one thing, you would finally be happy and content. But did you find that once you got it, the feeling was only temporary? If so, you're not alone. As women, we often fall into the trap of believing that more is better. But the truth is, true contentment can only come from God and His promises. In Genesis 16, we see the story of Sarai and Hagar, and how Sarai's lack of contentment led to manipulation and pain. Let's explore this idea further by looking at the story of Sarai and Hagar.
In Genesis 16, we see that Sarai, Abram's wife, was unable to have children. She became impatient and decided to take matters into her own hands by giving her servant, Hagar, to Abram as a wife. (uh oh!) Hagar became pregnant, which caused tension between Sarai and Hagar. (shocking) Sarai then mistreated Hagar, causing her to flee. However, an angel of the Lord found Hagar and told her to return to Sarai and submit to her. The angel also promised Hagar that her son would be blessed and would have many descendants.
Sarai's lack of contentment in God's promise led her to manipulate her husband and her servant. She believed that if she could just have a child, she would finally be happy and content. But her actions only caused pain and tension. If Sarai had been content with God's promise, she would have trusted that He would fulfill His promise in His own time and way.
As women, we can learn from Sarai's mistakes. We must trust in God's promises and be content in His plan for our lives; even if the timeline is longer than we’d like. This doesn't mean that we can't have goals or desires, but it means that we must hold them loosely and trust that God's plan is always better than our own. When we find ourselves striving for more, we can remember the story of Sarai and Hagar and choose to trust in God's promises instead of manipulating our circumstances.
As women in the modern world, we face many pressures to be successful and to have it all. It’s exhausting and unattainable. Or what if someone else has exactly what you’ve been praying for? We may ask ourselves, what about her that allows her to have ‘it?’ Whatever ‘it’ may mean to you. But true contentment can only come from God and His promises. Let's choose to trust in Him, His timing and find contentment in His plan for our lives.
So, how can we find true contentment in God's promises? Embrace God’s plans for our lives. Jeremiah 29:11 assures us that God has a perfect plan for our lives: "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." Even when life feels uncertain or falls short of our expectations, we can find contentment in trusting that God's purposes for us are far greater than our own.
In conclusion, the story of Sarai and Hagar teaches us a valuable lesson about contentment. When we trust in God's promises and hold our desires and goals loosely, we can find true contentment in Him. Let’s continue to sit in proximity to the one who holds our future.
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