Genesis 16:2
And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her.  And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.

If the Lord has restrained us, we shouldn’t take things into our own hands.  If He has seen fit to have us in our current condition, then let us not resort to some other logic and go away from God’s plan to make something happen ourselves and, worse, convince others to go along with us.  The Lord had restrained Sarai from bearing a child because it was not yet time.  God’s plan for her was to bear a son in her old age, and this promised son would come, even if she couldn’t see how it could possibly be.  So she was basing everything on her own limited knowledge of her circumstances.

But don’t we do this, too, sometimes?  Is there any area of our lives where we’re seeking some other solution instead of waiting on God’s perfect timing?  Are we charging ahead to make something happen outside of His will for our lives?  Are we refusing to trust that God knows best and that He will accomplish all that He has promised?  He doesn’t need our help to push things along.  And our human reasoning cannot compare to His infinite knowledge of a situation.  So let us not allow a false sense of urgency to push us to some hasty action we will later regret.

Because when we do force the situation outside of God’s timing, we only end up bitter like Sarai, making problems and issues for ourselves where there didn’t have to be any.  Sarai thought to obtain children by Hagar but instead found that she would never be the mother she longed to be by going that direction.  And when we concoct our plots and go about to make things happen our way, we often end up disappointed, adding burdens we should have never had to bear.

It was the Lord who had restrained Sarai from bearing a child, but it was only for a season.  Even though she was old, God could give her a child and would do so in His due time.  We never have to wonder “how” when God is involved, because He can do anything.  He is in control of our lives.  His sovereign will must be done.  His plans that are larger than our lives must be accomplished.  Let us not add to our sorrow by stepping out of God’s will, but may we simply continue to trust God even when what we want to happen doesn’t come to pass when or how we want it to.