"The Lord
has loving-pity on those who fear Him, as a father has loving-pity on his
children."
Psalm 103:13
God has a way of
providing the most powerful and eye opening answers in and through our
wilderness experiences.
Consider the story
of pregnant Hagar in Genesis 16, who was on the run from her masters, Sarai and
Abraham. She was pregnant with a child, bitterness and hurt. She was
on the run with numerous questions, trying to escape the ill treatment of her
masters. Her intent was to escape her dark reality, but what she
encountered was an awakening wilderness experience. Sometimes when life
overwhelms us, we desperately run to experiences and individuals that seem like
the perfect escape, only to find ourselves wallowing in the slough of despair
and disappointments.
While in the
wilderness, God met Hagar, and made her a promise to increase her descendants.
Hagar walked out of her wilderness experience rejoicing that she was seen and
blessed by God!
“She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: 'You are the God who sees
me,' for she said, 'I have now seen the One who
sees me.'” -Genesis 16:13
Hagar not only
encountered God in the wilderness but she encountered grace, found her future
and found hope.
Hagar’s story is
filled to the rim with encouragement for women who feel forgotten, neglected and
cheated by the twists and turns of motherhood, singlehood, womanhood and
sisterhood. This Egyptian’s story awakens in our minds the comforting reality
that our sufferings do not escape the notice of God - the healer of hearts; it
underscores the awesome truth that God senses our needs before we speak, meets
us where we are and provides an answer to satisfy those needs.
As we glide our way
through our emotional and spiritual wilderness experiences, let us embrace the
truth that God already has an answer and solution to our particular situation.
He has been proven throughout history to provide answers and solutions to the
deepest questions and greatest needs of humanity. This is a God who hears the
whispers of our hearts while we are uttering the very prayer for help; a God who
provides the answers in a perfect time and place; a God who already has a plan
for our comfort, restoration and deliverance before the trial assails
us!
You may be
wondering: How can I rebound from this disappointment that is killing my spirit?
How can I find balance and cope with the demands and stresses? How can I defeat
depression…? How can I quiet my raging boisterous thoughts and have peace of
mind? How can I be confident with all these sudden changes in my life? How can I
overcome this deep hurt and loneliness? How can I press through the mess when
nothing seems to change for the better? How can I pursue this dream when
everything is working against me?
Be encouraged that
for every question that exists within your heart, God has an answer that is
best. The same God who saw Hagar sees the occurrences of this chapter in your
life; He will meet you where you are, supply you with an answer in dramatic or
less striking ways, and reveal His love to you.
Today, I encourage
you to keep your hearts opened to God's compassion and comforting answers and
allow His grace to sing a soothing tune to your deepest wounds.
***
About the Author: Dentrecia Blanchette
Dentrecia is a 24 year old from the island of St. Kitts
in the West Indies who is pursing graduate studies in Communication, Media and
Public Relations. She is passionate about culture, women issues, relationships
and mental health as she is passionate about spreading the good news of Jesus
one printed piece at a time. Her quiet strength has dubbed her the nickname,
“Gentle Lion” and she believes that God can use even introverts as herself to
spread His message of hope.
Posts
