Blinding Effect Of Losing Hope
One of the hardest things to do is to reset your life. Some people get to a point that they feel stuck and everything around them seems not to be working out.
The person would have tried everything possible to get his or her life into track but everything would have failed. At such stages one wonders if there is a switch somewhere they can press and just start over. The bible carries so many stories of people who were at this stage and their recovery carries similar patterns.
The story of Hagar in Genesis 21:8-21 when she was in the desert with her son and she had given up and the angel of the Lord opened her eyes. Gideon when he was in a dark wine press hiding from the enemies and the angel of the Lord opened his eyes to see himself in a way he had never done. Every encounter in the Bible God helped people out of the difficulties by first allowing them to have a vision. This vision opened their eyes to who they are or what they had. A lot of times when people are stuck, they are stuck because they don't have vision. So, the first step to coming out of any negative situation Is by having a vision.
These visions allow the individual to be filled with hope and through hope they are positioned for the change they desire. Hagar was prepared to die yet before her there was a well of water. Difficulties have a blinding effect and this blindness is the one that maintains people in these situations.
Hagar had given up and was prepared to die and through a single encounter she regained hope. The vision produced conviction, and Hagar raised her son in the same place she thought she would die. What is strange is that God just showed her a well of water. We don't hear of another incident where God appeared or that he provided anything else for her. What she lost in that desert was hope. Yes, she needed water but even if she had the water without hope she would have died. The Bible speaking about hope says when hope is lost one becomes sick (Proverbs 13:12). When you have hope you can endure any storm and come out victorious. The same child she had put away saying I don't want to see him die lived to be a great hunter and even took care of her. Even until now the sons of Ishmael are masters of the desert. It's not about your location, it's about your sight. What you are lacking is vision.
What are you seeing and do you understand what you are seeing? Though Gideon saw the vision he wanted clarity so he kept asking for more evidence that it was surely the Lord who was speaking. At times if it’s not clear, seek more clarity. What produces results is your understanding of what you see. Gideon later led the children of Israel to victory because he chose to see himself the way God had created him. At times what you just need to reset your life is for God to open your eyes. The past few years have been difficult and even in the coming year things can be worse. But remember Hagar raised her son in a place she thought she would die. All you need is for your eyes to be opened to the reality of what God has prepared for your future ...
God bless you
