One of the first lessons that I received while reading the bible is the one we see unfold in Sarai’s servant’s life Hagar. We see a beautiful message of how God always has a plan for us, even in our challenges. Sometimes when I think about this powerful message God gave to me, I laugh a little at the thought that I connected more with Sarai’s servant Hagar, then Sarai herself given that my name is also Sarai.
In Genesis:16 we read of Hager who faced some of the most difficult circumstances imaginable. She was a mere servant, and her mistress forced her to conceive the child Sarai and Abraham were promised. Now Sarai’s story holds a very important message within itself, but like I said today we will focus on Hagar. Once Hagar became pregnant she began to act prideful towards Sarai. In turn, Sarai begins to deal harshly with Hager. In the face of her harsh treatment, Hagar decides to flee. While she is running away she encounters The Angle of the Lord, and He tells her to return and submit. The Angle of the Lord then gives Hagar a great promise, He will “multiply her descendants exceedingly so.” Hagar then names the Lord, El Roi, meaning You Are The God Who Sees. Hagar does return to where the challenge was, but now she knew that God saw her struggle, and would guide her through. There is so much that we can unpack within Hagar’s story, but I want us to focus on the command God gives to Hagar. He tells her to return and submit, and in turn He will bless and protect her.
Most of us, including myself, can not compare our lives with Hager’s, but we can receive a very powerful message to apply to our own life. I can share a bit of my own experience. I have been married for almost four years now, and especially before my walk with God my relationship faced a lot of difficulty. My husband and I are both very strong minded and driven people, I know that is one of the things that made us fall in love with one another. But given our strong personalities, we both tugged for control over the relationship. When I look back at it now, I can see I was fighting the submission we are called to as wives. In these moments of conflict I always focused on how the other person’s actions had affected me and my instinct was to flee. Once this message came to me I imagined myself in Hagar’s steps, fleeing from my problems and coming face to face with Jesus. In the midst of my flight, He was telling me to return and submit also. To consider how my own attitude was contributing to the situation. Not only was I to return and submit, but to do it gladly. It is hard to accept this and it is most likely not what we want to hear. We think that in running away from our problem we will find the peace we so desperately desire. But what if we are running away to greater problems, more pain, and where God does not intend for us to be.
God sees our pain and affliction and sometimes the answer is not to flee, he has a plan for us within the challenge. It is not the challenge that we need to change, but ourselves. Let us return, let us trust in God’s plans, let us change our own attitudes, and most importantly let us remember that God sees. It is not easy but Jesus makes it possible, He has made it possible for me to be a better wife and mother. I love my family more than anything, and I know this is where God wants me to be, when times are easy and when times are hard.