Don’t Force the Change of Seasons

The first thing I do when I find myself in an uncomfortable situation is look, at all costs, for the emergency exit. I can say—without any pride—that some friends have nicknamed me Jonah for recognizing this intense urge I have to run from situations that, deep down, we all know I shouldn’t.
When we read 1 Samuel 1:5, we come across a painful truth: the one who had made Hannah barren was God Himself. Sometimes the place of discomfort is not a detour but the exact location where God has placed us for this time. We see the “now,” the loose puzzle piece; God sees the full picture, the puzzle already completed. God has a plan in everything—He does nothing without intentionality and wisdom. But when we don’t understand this, we rush prematurely out of seasons of pain. In our eagerness to produce flowers and fruit, we try to “fix” things that should be left in God’s hands.

Sarah is an example of this. In Genesis 15, God gives Abraham, Sarah’s husband, the promise that they would have a son. The following chapters reveal the dreaded waiting period between the promise and its fulfillment. Sarah couldn’t endure that winter that seemed endless, and to force her way out of it, she had a “brilliant” idea—which was anything but God-given.

It’s interesting to read Genesis 16:2, where Sarah presents her brilliant idea after saying, “since Yahweh has kept me from having children.” It sounds like: “Since God didn’t do it, I’m going to have to do it myself!” Unfortunately, Sarah didn’t understand her season; she didn’t understand the purpose or the reason why she hadn’t had children yet, and so she stepped ahead of God. In trying to solve the issue, she created a much bigger problem for her family. Ironically, the meaning of the name Hagar is “fugitive.” Hagar represented Sarah’s escape from the original plan.

When you rush ahead, you produce Ishmael, not Isaac. You lean on your own understanding instead of God’s omniscience. You disguise your unbelief as proactivity and end up eating unripe fruit instead of ripe fruit. For you who are reading this plan, Isaac may represent many things—literally a long-desired baby, a marriage, a professional position—I don’t know. But I do know that if it hasn’t arrived yet, it’s not by accident. God understands the seasons; He is not late.

Reflection:
• Can you remember a moment of discomfort you tried to run from and later regretted?
• Have you ever tried to “help” God fulfill a promise He Himself made to you?
• Can you identify what your “Isaacs” are today?
• Have you been rushing to the point of producing Ishmael?