When I Do it My Way It's A Hot Mess!

When will it be my turn?

It may be hard to admit out loud, but for just a moment consider the dream you have or wish that you have prayed upon. Once you have that thing that you desired so much, then picture the person or people you’ve watched receive that very thing. You have been given a front row seat to this person getting all that you want and it’s becoming difficult not to ask, “when will it be my turn?”

Give Yourself Grace

Well first give yourself grace and try not to feel guilty for feeling like this or even thinking these thoughts. It’s only human to feel resentment at times or even anger because you’re frustrated that life has not happened the way you hoped that it would. You’re not a terrible person for comparing yourself to the one who seems to have it all. You are a person who simply wants to feel like you’ve finally achieved something that matters a great deal to you. A bit of envy can show it’s face to even the best of us and it may result in the worst of our actions.

Your Time is Coming

Do not give up because your time is coming. If you don’t believe that then I have a few people I’d like to remind you of or even introduce you to, that could help you realize that your time is coming. More importantly, I’d like you to keep in mind the person that you know fairly well who seems to keep getting everything.

Reflections

Sarah and Hagar – Genesis 15; Genesis 16

Leah and Rachel – Genesis 29

Sarah and Hagar Let’s take a look at Sarah (Sarai) who was barren and was frustrated. She wanted to have a child with her husband Abraham. She was impatient with the Lord and gave up hope. Sarah decided to take matters into her own hands even though the Lord promised Abraham a son. Sarah moved according to her own timeframe and sent her Egyptian slave Hagar to have a child with her husband. Hagar did give birth to Ishmael. Sarah became upset with the fact that Abraham now had a child with Hagar and that did not make her feel any better. She was jealous of Hagar and mistreated her. God kept his promise and eventually Sarah became pregnant and gave birth to Isaac.

Take-a-way: God’s promises are true. When you move according to your own timeframe you will invite chaos into your life you did not otherwise have to endure. Wait for the Lord, remain obedient, and trust in him. Whatever your timeline is to obtain that which you desire will be made perfect in God’s timing, but may be flawed in your timing.

Leah and Rachel

Talk about a hot mess right! Well, that is okay! We have all made a mess of our lives at some point. God turns your mess into a blessing for Kingdom business, the creation of nations to be exact. The entire family is a mess really and it all comes down to one word, envy. Now Rebekah is the mother of Jacob and the sister of Laban. Rebekah helped Jacob trick his father by dressing him up like his brother, Esau, so that he may receive his father’s blessing. Esau was supposed to receive the blessing, as he was the firstborn son. Likewise, her brother Laban tricked Jacob by allowing him to work seven years to marry Rachel. After Jacob worked the seven years, Laban disguised his daughter Leah (who was not as pretty as Rachel) and tricked Jacob into marrying who he thought was Rachel. After Jacob found out, he was upset and worked another seven years to marry Rachel. The whole family is a mess. All of this trickery and deceit carried on to Leah and Rachel. The two competed to give birth to children in the name of envy. Because Jacob loved Rachel more and Leah less, the Lord blessed Leah to conceive and Rachel was childless (Genesis 29:31). Rachel’s jealously caused her to send her servant (Bilhah) to her husband to have a child. Leah retaliated by sending her servant (Zilpah) to do the same. Finally, Rachel was able to give birth to Joseph.

Take-a-way: We blame others when things don’t go our way. We even retaliate at times against them because we cannot understand how they are blessed in the midst of our misery. Time and time again, we take matters in our own hands and create more trouble for ourselves. But, God’s promises are true as he still turns our hot mess into blessings for Kingdom business.

Lesson

Life will not always go according to your plan and there will be people in your life that appear to have the things you desire, and it can cause the feeling of envy. You are human and you will feel how you feel but the important thing to remember are your actions. Whatever you feel consider how you act upon what you feel. I challenge you to seek the word of God and pray when you are feeling this way. If you let it fester you may end up doing things too hurriedly to get the outcome you want instead of waiting on God. By the time you force your own way, you could end up in a hot mess of a situation. As a child of God, you are already blessed and promised so much. Don’t take matters into your own hands, there is a purpose for God being the author and not you.

Prayer Heavenly Father forgive me for my thoughts that lead me into a space of envy. Help me to realize that anyone in my life that has received a blessing is an example of that much more that you will do for me as your child. Help me Father not to feel hopeless and focused on when it will be my turn, but instead to praise you even more for building me up so that I am ready when it's my time. Instill in me a spirit of gratefulness and a song of praise that I will exalt you now and forever regardless of what I feel like I may lack, for with you I have more than enough. Father thank you for being the author because you know best, your timing is perfect and you, unlike me, are flawless. ~ Amen