“Your slave is in your hands,” Abram said. “Do with her whatever you think best.” Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her.     Genesis 16:6 NIV

Notice reactions of Sarai and Hagar. She was miserable because of the pride and haughtiness of Hagar, so she tried to make everyone else around her miserable too. She tried to blame Abram for the problem. She tried to blame Hagar for the problem. She even dragged God into the problem. There are many who approach the problems of life with a similar attitude. If they are unhappy, they want everyone else around them to be unhappy as well. So, they get grouchy, mean-spirited, short-tempered and become hard to get along with. This is not a Christlike response to trouble and problems. He would have us learn to handle the problems of life without attacking others or attempting to make them as miserable as we are! Hagar reacted by being unavailable. She decided that the answer to her problems was flight. She just packed up and left to get away from the problem. This is the most common response of all! When problems arise at church, don’t seek a solution, seek a new church. When problems arise on the job, don’t fix it, find a new job. When problems crop up in the marriage, don’t work it out, just find yourself a new mate. God’s business isn’t to make us happy. He wants to make us holy! Forcing us to face our problems is one way of accomplishing that end!

PRAYER THOUGHT

Lord, thank You that You don’t make us happy but holy.

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Thank You Lord, that Your business isn’t to make us happy. You want to make us holy! Forcing us to face our problems is one way of accomplishing this end. AMEN

INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)

Matthew 19:1-12

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