Faith and Pest Control

July 23, 2026 Martha RodmanLeave a comment

Surely resentment destroys the fool, and jealousy kills the simple. Job 5:2 NLT

I hate rodents. I hate them with a passion. They are sneaky. They show up unexpectedly and where they shouldn’t be. They transmit germs and are just something I will always wonder why God created them in the food chain. But spiritual
“pests” are even worse. One of the most sneaky is resentment.

I don’t like to admit it, but there are times I battle this little rodent thoughts more often than I like. One definition of resentment is a reaction to a specific perceived injustice directed at a person or event. It is part of our emotional makeup. The thing about resentment is it isn’t “bad” in itself. Like the definition says, it is a reaction to a stimulus. We read the story of Cain and his brother Abel in Genesis 4. Cain got resentful to the Lord when Abel’s sacrifice was accepted and his wasn’t. The problem had is the same thing that can happen to us, if we don’t deal with it, it can lead to sin. Cain’s anger and resentment caused him to actually murder his brother. Maybe we don’t actually kill the person that we get resentful towards, but we can do it in our own thoughts. This is where we must learn to recognize those thoughts, and capture them.

Sarai urged her husband to take her handmaid, Hagar to his bed to father “their” child. So Abram had sexual relations with Hagar, and she became pregnant. But when Hagar knew she was pregnant, she began to treat her mistress, Sarai, with contempt. Then Sarai said to Abram, “This is all your fault! I put my servant into your arms, but now that she’s pregnant she treats me with contempt. The Lord will show who’s wrong–you or me!” This whole scenario was faulty from the beginning. Abram didn’t say no to his wife’s idea of him sleeping with Hagar. It was culturally acceptable, but not God’s plan. Often resentment shows up when our own plans go awry. Plans we have not checked in with God about. I’m sure in Sarai’s imagination, Hagar would have the baby and he would have been hers to look after. She didn’t think about Hagar’s part in the story. That she might have emotions and reactions, too. Unmet expectations foster resentment more than we are aware. It was wrong for Hagar to treat her with contempt, but Sarai did not take responsibility for her own part in this story. One of the first steps in dealing with resentment is ownership of our part.

Often if we examine our hearts, we find unprocessed anger that led up to resentment. King Saul was angry and jealous at David’s success. Instead of celebrating his wins as a triumph for Israel, he allowed so much resentment and bitterness to build that he spent roughly 7-15 years chasing David. It became an obsession for him. It looks so silly from our position in history, but it seems like all Saul could think about was destroying David. Resentment is a time waster. We can only imagine what Saul could have completed as King, if he had released his resentment and moved on.

These three biblical examples of the results of harboring resentment are sobering. Job 5:2, is such a good reminder for us all. Surely resentment destroys the fool, and jealousy kills the simple. I find it humbling to acknowledge when I feel resentment. I think it is the perfection pride part of me! But once I admit it and bring it to the Lord, freedom really does begin. The Holy Spirit begins to show me the proper perspective, whether I want Him to or not! One thing I have learned in dealing with resentment, is not to keep “petting it”. I can’t rehearse it over and over. I must capture those thoughts and keep them captured. Forgiveness usually comes into play not only for the situation, the people involved but also for myself.

If we do not deal with resentments when they are small, they can grow into bitterness. Paul gives great advice in Romans 12: Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. I have found it definitely takes faith to let resentment go. We must trust that our God will deal with things as He sees fit. For the scriptures say, I will take revenge; I will pay them back, says the Lord. Instead, if your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.: Romans 12:19-20. He instructs the brethren in Ephesus even more clearly: Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh word, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:31. NLT.

Father, thank you for helping us deal with our resentments. Forgive us for not dealing with them when they first show up and allow them room in our hearts and lives. Any resentment we harbor is dangerous to a healthy soul. Once again, we are grateful for your mercy in these areas. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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Faith and His Promises

February 22, 2024 Martha Rodman2 Comments

Remember your promise to me; it is my only hope. Your promise revives me; it comforts me in all my troubles. Psalm 119:49-50. NLT

I am so so grateful for God’s promises. I am grateful that He is a promise keeper. He is faithful to His promise, when I am not. Today I am feeling a bit distracted and stuck. Trying to press through and spend time with Him, but it isn’t working too well. So I put on some worship music and tried to settle in. Still a struggle.

Spent a bit of time kneeling prostrate before Him, humbling myself and realizing our God is hearing me, no matter what I am feeling. He sees my heart and struggle to meet with Him. As I quieted my heart and just rested in the knowledge of His presence, peace came. I began to feel restored and strengthened. I found the above scripture and was comforted by His promises, once again.

Why do we make it so complicated? He longs to have a relationship with us. He paid the costly price of restoring our relationship to Him. What a joy for Him when He sees us wanting to be with Him, surrendered and waiting.

I love that His promises are personal. I can claim them, and so can you. He promised to never leave us nor forsake us (one of my favorite promises!). I read there are over 7,000 promises in the Bible. Take a look at your concordance and read some of them. They are refreshing and comforting. The Lord always keeps his promises; he is gracious in all he does. Psalm 145: 13

We find a marvelous example of what happens when we believe His promises in Romans 4:20. Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. Om fact, his faith grew stronger and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. When we continue to grow in our faith in God’s promises (His word), we bring Him glory. The Holy Spirit wants to help us grow in this area. What promises are you trusting in today? Keep on my friend, keep on believing. Do not let the enemy steal your hope. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled. May God who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Romans 15:4-5. NLT. Abraham and Sarah waited a long time to have their promised child. I can only imagine how difficult it was for them to keep trusting. (We know it wasn’t easy, because we have the story of Hagar and Ishmael).

Take time to renew your hope in His promises by reading His Word. Remind yourself of the stories (testimonies) of those who have gone before us. Remember that He who has begun a good work, will go on to perfect it. Philippians 1:6. If you need to remind yourself that He forgives when we ask–read Matthew 6 and the Lord’s prayer. Oh my friends, do not let a gap develop in your relationship with Him. No matter what season you find yourself in, He is present, able and willing to meet with you and me.

I find so much comfort in His promises, don’t you? Today, as I finally reminded myself of His promises I was able to enter in and find the rest He promises. It took some time, but it was so worth it!

Father, I thank you for your promises. I thank you that they are faithful and dependable, even we feel we aren’t worthy of them. I thank you for helping us trust in them and like Abraham, bring glory to your name. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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Faith and Seen

January 18, 2024 Martha Rodman1 Comment

Therefore, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord, who had spoken to her. She said, ‘You are the God who sees me”. Genesis 16:13 NLT.

As I read this scripture yesterday, it struck me once again that we are people who are seen. Not only seen but seen by a powerful God who can do something about our situation. Hagar, an Egyptian slave girl did not have an easy life. We don’t know how she became a slave to Sarai, Abrams wife, but she was in their midst. I wish I knew her backstory.

Most of us know the story, but let’s go through it again. God promised Abram a son, even though they were well passed child bearing age. Sarai got impatient and following a tradition suggested that Abram father a child through her maid Hagar. Hagar had no say in the matter. Genesis 16:1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named, Hagar; so she said to Abram, ‘The Lord has kept me from having children, Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.”

From the advantage of hindsight, we can see all the problems with this choice. God had promised them children, but Sarai is blaming the Lord for keeping her from having children. I think every month Sarai did not conceive brought her more and more despair. By now, Abram was about 85 years old which made Sarai 75 years old. I can see why their faith might have struggled, can’t you? So Sarai comes up with this plan for her to use Hagar in hopes she could build a family through her. This was a common practice in their culture, but not God’s plan for their legacy.

Reading this story always makes me take a pause and pray, “Father, please help me to find and follow Your will, not my good ideas. Help me trust You and Your plans, no matter what”. I want to encourage us all to do the same. God’s ways are always higher than our ways and usually don’t look like our ways.

So Abram slept with Hagar and she conceived. Instead of the happy family Sarai must have pictured in her mind, Hagar began to hold Sarai in contempt. Sarai then blamed Abram! Then Sarai said to Abram, this is all your fault! I put my servant into your arms, but now that she’s pregnant she treats me with contempt. The Lord will show who’s wrong–you are me! Abram replied, “look, she is your servant, so deal with her as you see fit.” Then Sarai treated Hagar so harshly that she finally ran away. Genesis 16:5-6. NLT. This triangle relationship did not work on any level!

Not one of these people really did the right thing. Abram, as the husband and the one God had spoken to, should have said ‘ no, that’s not what God said, we are going to trust Him.’ Sarai did not think things through when it came to her own heart. Her heart wasn’t in the right place to enlarge it to encompass Hagar as a pregnant sister wife. Hagar acted very immature in her attitude toward Sarai–all things we can and should learn from.

So Hagar runs away into the wilderness. There is a surprise twist to this story. Neither Abram nor Sarai go after her. But she has the most amazing encounter. The angel of the Lord found Hagar beside a spring of water in the wilderness, along the road to Shur. He not only found her, but he encouraged her. He began to instruct her to go back to Sarai and submit to her authority. 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. How amazing. I think it is interesting that Hagar got to name her son, instead of Abram. But the angel went on to tell her a few more things about her son, that I don’t know if she really wanted to know! This son of yours will be a wild man, as untamed as a wild donkey. He will raise his fist against everyone, and everyone will be against him. Yes, he will live in open hostility against all his relatives. I am sure this is something she pondered in her heart.

My friends, God see you. He sees your circumstances and He is moving on your behalf, as you participate with Him. Hagar went back to Sarai and hopefully they both treated each other with a bit more respect. Sarai only had the promise of a child at this point. It would be 14 more years till she bore her own child. What a test. We do know that after Isaac was born, Sarah demanded that Abraham send Hagar and Ishmael away. Genesis 21 tells the story of Hagar’s next encounter with the God who sees. He doesn’t forget her, nor does he forget us. Please be encouraged, no matter how many times you hear this story, let it go deep into your soul. Take encouragement also from Colossians 1:23. But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News.

Father, I thank you for seeing us. Let the fact You, the God of the Universe sees them and is helping them make a difference in their hope and faith today.