I am reading What Women Fear* with the (in)courage Bloom Book Club. I have struggled with fear in my life before, and still do some days. I had never thought of my fear affecting me this way. I thought I would share because I think it has great implications for times when we are waiting!
In the book, Angie is talking about Hagar and the fear of “What If..” At this point in the chapter, Angie is talking about when Hagar is sitting in anticipation of her son’s death.
Then, an angel of the Lord comes and tells Hagar not to fear, because the Lord has heard the cries of her son.
Then, God opens Hagar’s eyes and she sees a well of water. Angie goes on to point to the fact that it doesn’t say God provided a well right there in the moment. It says that Hagar’s eyes were opened to the fact that there was a well.
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Oh my word! In Hagar’s state of fear, she didn’t see the well.
Angie says this, “Her circumstances didn’t change. Her awareness did…In her state of panic, I can imagine that she closed her eyes and made herself blind to whatever the Lord had in store for her.”
How many times does this happen in our life? We are so focused on waiting, so focused on the fear of what may happen, that we miss what God is doing to provide for us, maybe in a different way than we expected.
I have to admit that I have fallen victim to this scenario in my own life several times. Have you?
Here are some more words from Angie (my emphasis),
Are you so focused on what you think is missing that you don’t see what is present? Maybe you need to ask the Lord to illuminate what it is He wants you to see. It’s possible that what you have seen as the end of the road is actually an opportunity to open your eyes and see something you haven’t.”
Angie’s words here are powerful. They are powerful and convicting for us waiting for something.
Maybe God has already provided for us and we just don’t see it yet…
Are your eyes open in this waiting? Are you watching and looking for God to give you an answer to your prayers? Even if it’s different than you have imagined?
Question for you:
Look around. Has God been trying to show you something in this waiting that you were blinded to see before?
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This post is part of my 31 Days of Waiting series. Read all the posts in the series here.
I needed to read this today Ashley. Thank you!
Glad you were encouraged! Thanks for stopping by Cherie!!!
There was so much choice this year of “31 days…” websites. I could only choose a few to read and I prayed that I would be led to the sites that would be right for me. I’m so happy that I have been led to this site. I am in a very different life situation from you, much older, widowed very young, children grown up, but I have found every single message to be relevant and meaningful for my particular circumstances. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences and the wisdom that the Lord has revealed to you. I will pray for you dear friend that the Lord will continue to lead you and that in His perfect time he will give you the family you and your husband long for.
Thank you Sylvia! You are so right about the abundance of “31 Days…” posts! Thank you for choosing to come back here and journey alongside with me in my journey exploring waiting. Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment!!! It touched my heart today!
[...] Open Your Eyes While You Wait [...]