Rushing ahead of God and impatience were re-occurring themes for me in My Biggest Regrets podcasts that I recorded these past two weeks. As a result, in this podcast, I want to invite you to listen to a message from the life of Abraham when he grows weary of waiting and executes an apparently successful plan for God without God. Based on Genesis 16:1-4, we observe amazing parallels to the leadership challenges, pressures, and frustrations we face today.
Abraham and Sarah, out of their impatience, birthed a physical son – Ishmael. We too, out of our own impatience, often birth “Ishmaels” as well. This podcast explores The Ishmael Test, four questions to ask ourselves before we launch large decisions for God and his work. They are:
- Am I afraid to ask God what His will is in this situation?
- Am I uncomfortable exploring my hidden motivations?
- Am I avoiding getting counsel from mature others in case they disagree with me?
- Am I too busy and distracted to listen to the voice of God?
And may we all learn to wait on the Lord, putting all our hopes and trust in him alone (cf. Ps. 130:5).
Enjoy
