Word for the day "A no-win situation"

^{Genesis 16:9 (KJV)} And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands. ¹⁰ And the angel of the Lord said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.

Sometimes we are powerless because of our situation in life. We may be in a situation where other people have power over our lives.

We may feel that we are trapped by the demands of others and that there’s no way to please them all. It’s a double bind: to please one is to disappoint another.

Sometimes when we feel stuck and frustrated with our relationships, we look for a measure of control by escaping through compromising behaviors.

How to advance in no-win situations is critical to our personal development.

Hagar is a picture of a no-win situation in many instances. She had no rights. As a young girl, she was a slave to Sarai and Abram.

When they were upset because Sarai could not bear children, she was given to Abram as a surrogate.

When she did become pregnant, as they had wanted, Sarai was so jealous that she beat the girl and she ran away.

All alone, out in the wilderness, she was met by an angel who told her, “Return to your mistress, and submit to her authority!

I will give you more descendants than you can count; You are now pregnant and will give birth to a son.

You are to name him Ishmael (which means ‘God hears’), for the Lord, has heard your cry of distress” (Genesis 16:9-11).

Human beings are very similar in various challenges. If you experience devastating defeats, a persistent situation that you couldn't change, or experienced a terrifying situation that you could not control, then you may have lost hope for your ability to change your life or to change painful situations. Sometimes an ongoing emotional challenge can lead to feelings of hopelessness.

When we are caught in no-win situations, it’s tempting to run away to our compromising escape places and patterns.

In times like these, God is there and he is listening to our concerns. We need to learn to express our pain to God, instead of just trying to escape.

We must learn the value of managing our own emotions in times of hopelessness.

When you’re feeling stressed, depressed or overwhelmed, it’s hard to hold onto that feeling of hope.

Feeling like you are in a no-win is one of the most challenging emotions to manage, especially when the feeling has been present for a prolonged period.

We’ve all had those moments when there didn’t appear to be a way out. During these periods, many who are hopeless wonder what the point of even trying is, when you feel like there is no hope.

Finding the win when it seems like there is none to be found can be extremely difficult, but it is possible.

Hope is there, we just need the courage and faith to walk through the wilderness and find our direction.

If you’re ready to change your outlook on life and become a person of hope, follow the pattern to God as we see Hagar do in today’s message.

Point to ponder

The Lord knows and hears our problems and is willing to give us hope for the future. When we can’t trace God’s, hand let us trust God’s heart.

• Whatever situation you find yourself in, there's always hope.
• Remember to always share your pain with the Lord.
• How can today’s message about Hagar add value to your life?
• Do you see yourself in today’s message?
• Is it time to learn how to manage your emotions?

Special thanks!

Our Leadership team is especially thankful for those of you who provided financial donations and support in the month of February 2019 by partnering with us in efforts to advance the kingdom of God in this 21st century season: Special thanks to Ms. Annette Straker, Mr. David Straker, Mr. Kenneth Washington, Mrs. Barbara Mason, Mrs. Lola Moore, Ms. Cynthia Waiters-Artis, Mother Betty Denson, Ms. Darlene Simmons, Mrs. Denise Johnson, and Ms. Gertrude Scott.

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