Are You Sleeping With Hagar?

Sometimes, we get so anxious for the next season, we start forcing things…

Making something happen.

Taking short cuts.

Compromising.

Doing the wrong thing—hoping to get the right thing.

Unfortunately, forcing what God hasn’t endorsed produces all kinds of problems.

Remember Abraham?

God promised Abraham and Sarah that they would have children.

After the promise, Abraham did his part and waited, and waited, and waited…

Years.

Lots of years.

And Abraham started getting anxious.

He began thinking “I need to take control and make something happen.”

So Abraham slept with Hagar (his wife’s housemaid) and she became pregnant.

Abraham forced the situation—and thought he got what he wanted (a child).

Yeah… Abraham had a child, but he also created a crisis in his home.

Things got messy quick.

Problems.

Division.

Fights.

Separation.

A broken family.

Abraham slept with Hagar—he forced what God had not endorsed.

Abraham sleeping with Hagar was unfortunate, because God did deliver on his promise.

Sarah (Abraham’s wife) became pregnant and they had a child.

What’s the lesson for us?

1. Sometimes God’s promises aren’t fulfilled as quickly as we would like.

2. Be patient. Believe. Don’t give up. Trust. Learn to be OK with the wait.

3. Don’t “sleep with Hagar”—Never force what God has not endorsed.