Abraham’s Lesson on Patience - Charles Stanley Daily Devotional (February-07-2023)

Charles Stanley (February-07-2023) Daily Devotional: Abraham’s Lesson on Patience.

Seasons of waiting produce spiritual fruit.

Genesis 16:1-16 - Now Sarai, Abram's wife had borne him no children, and she had an Egyptian maid whose name was Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, ``Now behold, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Please go in to my maid; perhaps I will obtain children through her." And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. After Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Abram's wife Sarai took Hagar the Egyptian, her maid, and gave her to her husband Abram as his wife.m He went in to Hagar, and she conceived; and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her sight. And Sarai said to Abram, ``May the wrong done me be upon you. I gave my maid into your arms, but when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her sight. May the LORD judge between you and me." But Abram said to Sarai, ``Behold, your maid is in your power; do to her what is good in your sight." So Sarai treated her harshly, and she fled from her presence. Now the angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. He said, ``Hagar, Sarai's maid, where have you come from and where are you going?" And she said, ``I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai." Then the angel of the LORD said to her, ``Return to your mistress, and submit yourself to her authority." Moreover, the angel of the LORD said to her, ``I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be too many to count." The angel of the LORD said to her further, ``Behold, you are with child, And you will bear a son; And you shall call his name Ishmael, Because the LORD has given heed to your affliction. ``He will be a wild donkey of a man, His hand will be against everyone, And everyone's hand will be against him; And he will live to the east of all his brothers." Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, ``You are a God who sees"; for she said, ``Have I even remained alive here after seeing Him?" Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered. So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to him.

Abraham is someone from whom we can learn valuable lessons. Over the course of his life, his faith grew. He came to understand how important trusting God is—and how costly impatience can be. 

Abraham learned the hard way that manipulating circumstances can bring heartache. When he and his wife tried to help God out, the immediate result was jealousy, anger, and family strife. There was also a long-term consequence: a bloody conflict that still rages today between the descendants of Hagar’s son Ishmael and Sarah’s son Isaac.

The Lord promised Abraham and Sarah a baby, but they ended up waiting for the fulfillment until childbearing was humanly impossible. When Isaac was finally conceived and born, all the glory went to God.     

Have you considered that delays in your life can also glorify God? Or are you trying to help Him out in an attempt to get what you want more quickly? Waiting is difficult, but it’s the only way we learn patience, which is precious to the Lord. When you experience a delay, use it as an opportunity to build your trust in God and your confidence in His wisdom and perfect plan.

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Abraham’s Lesson on Patience - Charles Stanley Daily Devotional (February-07-2023)
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Charles Stanley

Charles F. Stanley is the founder of In Touch Ministries, and a New York Times best-selling author. He demonstrates a keen awareness of people's needs and provides Christ-centered biblically based principles for everyday life.

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