By: Kacie Starr Long
"Then God opened Hagar's eyes and she saw a well full of water..." Genesis 21:19a
Every now and again at my sewing shop, there is a need for tools to fix or make repairs to our machines. Recently, someone asked me for a specific screwdriver and I panicked because I had no idea what this screwdriver looked like or its purpose.
Thankfully, I'm a bit better versed in understanding the spiritual tools inside my toolbox, but recently I've felt God nudge me to take deeper look at the tools He has given me to navigate life, and to use them.
There's a scene in Genesis 21, where a woman named Hagar and her son Ishmael have been sent away. Hagar is now a single mom, left to care for her son and she has nowhere to go. She and Ishmael find themselves in the wilderness, depressed, isolated and without water.
As you can imagine, Hagar is distraught, dehydrated she is afraid that she and her son will die from thirst. Scripture tells us that Ishmael's cries reach God, and He consoles Hagar with encouraging words."Then God opened Hagar's eyes and she saw a well full of water. She quickly filled her water container and gave the boy a drink." (Genesis 21:19
I will admit.
Oftentimes, God will give me an idea, a dream or vision and I will get so excited about fulfilling it, but then reality sinks in causing me to tot
ally miss the wells of opportunity that lie right before me.
The scenarios usually look something like this:
"God, I would love to help this person, but I don't have the money to do it"
or
"God, I really would like to add this service to my business as it would help a lot of people. However, I just don't have the resources right now."
Have you ever felt God nudge your heart to do something great, yet you felt paralyzed or unable to accomplish the idea, because you feel like you don't have enough money, support, time, or resources?
For some reason, it seems like instead of seeing the wells of provision, all you see is desert, trials, and impossibility.
Recently, God has opened my eyes, just as He did with Hagar in the wilderness to see the "wells of water" that are right in front me.
True story:
Last month, I was so excited about a non-profit organization that approached my sewing shop and expressed interest in renting our space to provide sewing classes to inner city youth. They wanted to use the space during our off hours, and they wanted to pay us a generous sum to use our space. Unfortunately, plans changed and they decided to move in a different direction and not use our space.
Yes, I was disappointed but within a few hours, I began to see a "well of water" appear right in front of me.
In my shop, we receive beautiful fabrics donated for sewing projects.
I came up with the idea to host a Friday night Sip n' Sew at our shop, as a way to continue our mission of: sewing, sharing, and community while also providing a way to bring in new customers and revenue into our shop.
As in Hagar's case, the "well of water" known as my Sip n' Sew wasn't a new well, it's been there all along. I have done Sip n' Sews previously at another location, however the wilderness moment of the non-profit deciding not to pursue renting space at my shop, forced me to cry out to God to open my eyes to see what we could do to fulfill our mission and remain viable.
I share how I was able to see a well of water right in front of me, but what wells have you may of missed that have been present all along?
What tools are in your tool box, that now need to be taken out and utilized?
I've learned one of the ways Satan tries to prevent progress in our lives is by always focusing on what we don't have. You may have heard him say:
You don't have the education....
You don't have the right connections....
You don't have enough (money, time, support).....
Instead of focusing on what we don't have, I feel God calling you and I to focus on what we DO have.
What can you do to move God's vision forward?
For instance:
You may not be able to write a book at the moment, but can you write an article or submit a blog post?
You may not be able to launch an entire business at the moment, but can you host a one-day workshop, seminar, or lead a Bible Study?
Maybe you can't buy the car yet, or house at the moment, but can you put away $10.00 toward a savings account to build the practice of discipline and consistency?
May God open our eyes to see the wells of favor, provision, creativity and support that are right in front of us and have been so all along.
May we take simple, small steps that keep us moving in the direction that God has for us.
May we remember that we are never in deficit with God.
He is Jehovah Jireh, He always provides.
And He has provided abundant and extravagant wells that are right before us.
Until next time, ya'll!
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Hi, my name is Kacie Starr Long. I am an author, and speaker and I love to use my voice to point people to Jesus. When I'm not writing, I'm either working out at Orange Theory Fitness or sewing. I'm in recovery from compulsive overeating and I have a sewing ministry, called the Sew Hope Community Sewing Room. I am the proud wife of Alfred T. Long, Sr and together we lead a non-profit that serves prisoners and their families. Connect with me at www.InspiredOverflow.com and via my YouTube page for Christian teachings and encouragement.