ONE: FCA Reading Plan For Competitorsናሙና

Attitude in Difficulty

By Kristy Makris

READY:

“The angel of the Lord said to her, ‘Return to your mistress, and submit to her authority.’” – Genesis 16:9

SET:

Pause for a moment and read Genesis 16. Here we find the story of Hagar—a woman, a foreigner, a slave. How could a woman like her have any dignity? 

Did you know that dignity is not dependent on a person, position, culture, gender or appearance? It’s given to us by God. He created us in His image, sent His Son to die so that we could be reconciled to Him, and He displays His love toward us even though we don’t deserve it. To Sarai, Hagar was property with no rights and no dignity. But to the angel who appeared to her in the wilderness, she was God’s image-bearer with great value and purpose.

Hagar returned to her difficult circumstances with promises from God regarding her yet-to-be-born son and an accurate view of herself in God’s sight. When she returned to Sarai, she understood that she was not just serving her, but serving God. 

It’s very likely that God also was sending her back to Abram and Sarai because there were things He wanted to teach her that she could only learn through difficulty—which is something He still does in our lives today. Often we are tempted to pray and ask for a life of ease, but what if we learn things about God in our sufferings that we otherwise would not have known? God uses suffering redemptively and purposefully in the lives of those who trust Him.  

GO:

1. Have you ever felt “used” by maybe a coach or teammate to accomplish what they wanted (e.g. a statistic, championship, popularity, etc.)?  

2. How did that affect you and the way you played?  

3. How can you, like Hagar, change your attitude in difficulties even if you can’t change your circumstances?  

WORKOUT:

Proverbs 31:25

James 1:2-3

OVERTIME:

“Lord, help me to believe that what You withhold is for my good and what you give is for my blessing.”