The Dangers of Getting Ahead of God

Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. So, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, and gave her to Abram her husband as a wife. And he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress. - Genesis 16:1-4 
  
Have you ever felt the urge to take matters into your own hands when waiting on God's timing feels too slow? It's a temptation we all face, but the consequences can be dire when we get ahead of God and act according to our own understanding.

We don’t have to look any further than the story of Abram and Sarah in Genesis 16 to see the repercussions of what happens when we get ahead of God. Despite God's promise to bless Abram with descendants as numerous as the stars, Sarah grew impatient as years passed without a child. In a moment of desperation, she took matters into her own hands and offered her maidservant, Hagar, to Abram as a surrogate mother. Abram, too, succumbed to the pressure and went along with Sarah's plan.
 
The result was a mess of conflict and heartache. Hagar conceived and bore a son named Ishmael, but strife soon erupted between her and Sarah. The consequences of their impatience reverberated through generations, leading to ongoing conflict between Ishmael's descendants (the Arabs) and those of Isaac (the Israelites).

This cautionary tale serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of getting ahead of God's timing. When we act hastily, we risk disrupting His perfect plan and bringing unnecessary pain and chaos into our lives.
 
Do not let Sarah and Abraham’s story become your story. Trust in God's timing, even when it seems slow or uncertain. Remember that we've discussed how God is never late, but He is also never early. His timing is perfect, and He knows what is best for us.

Instead of rushing ahead, let us wait patiently on the Lord, trusting in His faithfulness and His promise to fulfill His plans in His perfect timing. As we surrender our desires to Him and submit to His will, He will lead us on the path of blessing and fulfillment, guiding us every step of the way.