In this life we must have faced an awry situation that whatever choices we make, both will harm us.
Abraham had experienced this. In his spiritual journey, Abraham arrived in Gerar and settled there as a foreigner. When they entered Gerar, Abraham and Sarah faced a complicated situation that made them go awry, namely: Sarah was a beautiful woman, when the authorities there saw Sarah; they would have wanted Sarah, and when they knew that Abraham was her husband, and he could be killed because of Sarah.
In that awry situation, Abraham finally made a wrong decision, that Sarah should be admitted as his sister, not his wife (Genesis 20:1-18).
Whether consciously or not, that decision was very dangerous to the ‘purity’ of Sarah, even though if it would save Abraham’s ‘life’. But aren’t humans often doing so; they would rather sacrifice their sanctity than their lives. However, this was a wrong decision, a big mistake for Abraham.
I believe, when the king of Gerar, Abimelech, actually took Sarah as his wife, Abraham became restless. There were various thoughts that raged within him, awry mind. Abraham confused over it all. He could not do anything to protect his wife. Perhaps the only thing he could do was: pray.
How to deal with awkward situations like this? What should we do? There are several things we need to remember and consider when we are faced with an awry situation, namely:
1. The situation may be awry, but the decision cannot be wrong.
The mistake of many people is that they make a wrong decision in an awry situation. Why are we often trapped to make a wrong decision? Because of the fearful mind that overpowers our hearts.
“And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife’s sake” (Genesis 20:11).
The reason why Abraham took a wrong action was because he thought the people of Gerar did not fear God, so it was likely that he would be killed because of his wife. That fearful mind was so overpowered him, so he took the wrong decisions and actions.
What we must remember is that our fearful mind is not necessarily correct, and is not necessarily happens. But if we make the wrong decision, that fear could even happen because we tend to fulfill it by ourselves.
From the story, we know that the people of Gerar apparently had the fear of God, in contrast with the thought which terrified Abraham. If only he could calm himself, affirmed his belief in God, and collected more accurate data, the fear will subside and he could take more accurate decisions so he did not need to sacrifice his wife like that.
So when facing awry situations, stay calm and ask for God’s guidance in advance. Do not rush into decisions and do not make decisions based on fear, because it will almost certainly be wrong.
Under awry circumstances, it is important for us to meet with “the Truth,” so we will not be dragged into mistake, but raised in the truth.
“For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not. But ye said, No; for we will flee upon horses; therefore shall ye flee: and, We will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that pursue you be swift” (Isaiah 30:15-16).
In awry situations, we often tend to be in a hurry, but God says, “In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength!”
2. In an awry situation, give room for divine intervention to happen.
Believe that God can intervene (interfere) in all situations and circumstances. In an awry situation we are in need of divine intervention, believe that God will do it.
Even after Abraham made the wrong decision, God could still intervene and change his mistake to become good for him and his wife.
God came to Abimelech in a dream before he had slept with Sarah, so Sarah maintained her purity and Abraham was accepted in that country.
“And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife. And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee. And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved. So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children. For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham’s wife” (Genesis 20:14-18).
So if you are faced with an awry situation, believe that there is divine intervention that can happen to reverse all situations, but as much as possible, involve God in decision-making so that you do not make a wrong decision. Look at things we need to remember and consider when we are faced with an awry situation so that you can make an accurate decision.
Also read: A Question that Challenges God’s Sovereignty.
