Fascinated Not Frustrated

Genesis 26 begins with a famine that sees Isaac going to the Philistine town of Gerar, where he ends up staying after receiving the following directive (and promise) from the Lord:

While living there, he does something that sounds very familiar:

It’s familiar because virtually the same scenario occurred with Isaac’s parents, Abraham and Sarah - twice, in fact! Abraham’s wife was taken by Pharoah when the couple was living in Egypt (also because of a famine) and later by the Philistine king, Abimelek of Gerar. (See Abraham 1: Show me You Love Me.)

Now Isaac is in Gerar pretending he and Rebekah are siblings; it’s the same place and the same ruse for the same reason.

There’s another similarity in the stories of Abraham and Isaac: the “consequences” of their deception.

In Genesis 12, Abram (along with his wife) was sent away by Pharoah but he didn’t go empty-handed. He’d been treated well on account of his “sister” and acquired sheep, donkeys, camels, and cattle as well as servants during the course of the ruse, and he got to take it all with him.

In Genesis 20, Abimelek not only returns Abraham’s wife but also gives him sheep, cattle, slaves, money, and his choice of wherever he wanted to live in the land.

As consequences go, those don’t seem too bad!

And Isaac?

Not only is he allowed to stay in the land, he now has an order of protection from the king! And God blessed Isaac with success. A lot of it.

Becoming a very wealthy man, Isaac was targeted by jealous Philistines who filled in the wells from the days of his father, Abraham… all the wells which had been dug by Abraham’s servants.

Wells, water sources, water rights… we take a lot for granted, but water is a big deal if you are a farmer and livestock is your business.

Now Abimelek does ask him to leave.

So Isaac relocates to the Valley of Gerar and reopens the wells that had been dug in Abraham’s day but stopped up by the Philistines after his death. However, the contentious herdsmen of Gerar continue to be a problem. At least 2 or three times, Isaac’s servants dug a well, and the herdsman disputed the water rights. Each time, Isaac moves on and tries again.

I admire calm people. I really do, because I am SO not one of them! I can see myself out there gritting my teeth in determination to overcome the obstacles but getting more and more frustrated and more and more angry with each challenge. If Isaac was throwing a fit, it isn’t recorded!

At last, after multiple efforts, his persistence pays off, and Isaac finally has a well that doesn’t involve a quarrel. I love his response:

I’m afraid mine would have been different.

I don’t want to think I’d have been so consumed with bitterness toward the folks who had caused me so much grief in the first place that I’d have missed an opportunity to be grateful…but I might have; I might have allowed a grudge to overshadow God’s grace.

That’s the problem with getting so bent out of shape.

Hatred, anger, bitterness, and resentment blind us to God’s grace in our lives and, in doing so, block gratitude from our hearts. Perhaps that is the greatest tragedy of all.

No wonder God tells us:

Letting go frees us to embrace the joy He desires for us; it releases us to appreciate the successes that come our way…. especially the “hard-won” ones.

I want to be like Isaac. I want to be someone who overcomes my obstacles instead of letting them get the best of me. The late great Jim Rohn said that when we encounter problems in life we should be “fascinated not frustrated. ”

Fascinated not Frustrated.

I love that because life always has something to teach us, but frustration blinds us to the lessons…. and the blessings.

The Presence and power of God in the life of Isaac made an impression on King Abimelech. Accompanied by two of his men, he pays him a visit.

When circumstances weren’t friendly and people weren’t fair, Isaac pursued a steady course.

Life and other people will give us plenty of reasons to be bitter. We can rationalize our resentment or…. like Isaac, we can rise above it.

Why be robbed of joy by dwelling on what some person has done to us when we should be celebrating what God has done for us?

Why wouldn’t we choose to be overwhelmed with gratitude rather than grievances?

I’m going to do my best this week to be “fascinated instead of frustrated” when circumstances (or people!) are “challenging.” I’m going to be thankful for God’s grace and focused on His joy, His Presence, and His purpose in my life. I hope you will too.

I think we will be blown away by the justice God manages to work and the blessings He manages to bring about.

Blessings until next time, Kim