Chapter 3: 7
Frustration and its treatment (1)

God did not leave Sarah suffering from frustration and defeat, but He dealt with her with mercy and compassion and the Lord was able to heal her completely from all her frustration. He was able to fill her heart with faith, joy, and praise to His name.

For her name came up among the heroes of faith in the Epistle of Hebrews chapter 11, where the Bible said “ By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.” (Hebrews 11: 11)

The Lord treated Sarah through three great and glorious ways which He used with her, and He uses them with us also when we are struck with frustration and despair.

First: The Lord visits Sarah and renews the promise.
How awesome is God's sufficient grace, He did not leave Sarah as a victim of frustration, even though she did not seek Him, and took the wrong decision by letting Abraham marry Hagar. Yet God Himself in His abundant grace visited Abraham in the tent. Moreover, He asked about Sarah who did not go out to meet Him. He did not only come for Abraham his friend, but for Sarah who was frustrated.

We do not know why Sarah did not go out to meet the Lord, may be due to her frustration, fear, or shyness from what she did. Nevertheless God did not ignore Sarah, and He asked Abraham for her saying “Where is Sarah your wife?” The Lord renewed His promise to her saying: “At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.” (Genesis 18: 14)

And this is what the Lord does with us when our hearts feel weary and we feel depressed, He visits us through His word. This could be during our personal devotion, our study of the word, in the midst of a meeting or a spiritual conference, or while we are listening to a taped message. Hence, our hope and faith are revived.

When Sarah heard this promise she did not respond to it, and on the contrary, she laughed within herself. This laugh was not an expression of joy, but rather was a laugh of despair from the fulfillment of God's promise.

Misery and despair took a hold of Sarah, but the Lord, the great doctor, knew what went within her and did not leave her frustrated, He asked Abraham: “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?’ (Genesis 18: 13).

When Sarah got scared and marveled on how the Lord revealed her inner thoughts, she denied that she laughed, but the Lord confronted her and said “No, but you did laugh!” (Genesis 18: 15). God then gave her this blessed hope: “Is anything too hard for the LORD?” (Genesis 18: 12-14). Not only that but God assured and renewed His promise, that He will give them an offspring, two times during this visit.

He promised that this will be, by Sarah and within a year from that visit.
 “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son .... At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.” (Genesis 18: 10, 14)
Whatever is impossible for you Sarah God is capable of achieving.

Dear reader,
God is stronger than your frustration, and He is greater than your despair.
So believe neither Satan's stumbling words nor your frustrated feelings.
Do not depend on reality that puts you down. And don't look to your weak personal qualification.
Nevertheless, lift your eyes with faith to the Lord. And believe His promise to you and always say:
“Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar.” (Romans 3: 4)

And when God visit you, like He visited Sarah, and touch your heart and relieve your frustration through His healing word, respond to His Godly hands and do not reject the almighty's condolence.
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1: 7).

Magdy Samuel