Impatience while waiting (or not waiting) on God

God had promised Abram a son, but Sari was barren (12:1; 11:30). Ten years on, and still without the promised child,  Sari suggests that Abram have a child by her maidservant Hagar. Abram agrees and Hagar conceives! But she now Hagar despises Sarai. Sari blames Abram,  who tells her to do as she pleases. Sari treats her harshly and Hagar flees. An Angel finds Hagar, and tells her God sees her plight, but she's to go back and submit to Sarai.  God will multiply her descendants greatly. She is to call him Ishmael. It means God who hears, “because He has  heard your affliction. He shall be a wild man; His hand shall be against every man, And every man’s hand against him” (Genesis 16:1-12).

There are many things going on here. Impatience in waiting on God. Sarai's shame and agony at having no children in that culture, man's  rather than God's solution, unintended consequences of decisions not thought through, Abram's conflict avoidance, Sari's dysfunctional anger and abuse, and perhaps most importantly,  unintended consequences,  and the visiting of the parents sins onto the children.  It's too rich to rush through in a single post, and we'll be dealing with some of these issues in the next few days. So today impatience in waiting in God.  
 

Have you ever had a promise from God, but He seemed to take forever to get round to it.  And did you get impatient with Him? I have,  though most of the time I was reluctant to admit it!  I knew it wasn't true, but it felt like  “my way was hidden from the LORD, and my just claim passed over by my God” (Isaiah 40:27). And I have learnt that if I don't deal with these emotions properly (that is Biblically), I am likely,  like Sari, to take things into my own hands, to make things happen. This is especially true with respect to the promise “What a man's ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him” (Proverbs 16:7). happen.  Certainly there are times I should go to my brother and show him his  fault. But if I have not dealt with my anger, I'm not likely to go in humility considering myself lest I be tempted (Galatians 6:1). I also need to take the plank  out of my own eye before I can remove the speck from my sister's eye (Matthew 7:5).  

At such times I know I need to come back to the perspective that comes from being still and knowing He is God (Psalm 46:10), and from reading His Word. From Isaiah I need to hear Him ask  again “Have you not known? Have you not understood from the beginning,  He sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and  young men shall utterly fall. But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary,  they shall walk and not fall (40:21-31).   

Lord please give me patience, but hurry (I'm kidding)! Thank You for reminding me again this morning,  that there are many consequences of taking things into my own hand.  Continue to teach me to wait in hope on You Lord. I want to soar like the eagle.  And I will give You the glory, in Jesus Name Amen