Fasting Devotion 2026: Day 2

Fast Devotional – Day Two

Monday, January 12, 2026

Title: Hagar Surrenders her Despair

Text: Genesis 16; 21:14-21

Written by: LeChelle Smith

THOUGHTS:

We can learn a great deal about God’s grace and mercy though Hagar and her despair.   She not only had to endure this type of pain once, when Sarai mistreated her but again when Abram sent her away.  Hagar showed her surrendering by obeying the very people who mistreated her.  While she did run away initially due to her mistreatment from Sarai, she obeyed God by returning.  God continued to be with her guiding her showing her his unconditional love and devotion to her and because of this, God showed her favor by allowing Ishmael to live. By allowing Ishmael to live it shows God kept his promise to them.  By surrendering all to God we can trust in his promises and rely on his faithfulness.  When we submit to God’s authority, we can trust that He sees you and we can call on El-Roi (God who sees me) in our times of despair and pain.  By reading this passage God shows us that he does hear our cries and meets us where we are with renewed promises and spiritual hope.

CHALLENGE: 

The passage challenges us to be like Hagar and call on El-Roi when we are in our trials and not to try to take them on ourselves.  We see that when Sarai tried to “remedy” the situation instead of waiting on God it only led to more conflict.  While it may be difficult in these times to rely and wait on God, we can remember that He is always near the brokenhearted and that we are not alone.  I am being tested in this currently in my parenting journey and when you feel that there is no hope .... there is and his name is Jesus!!

Ask yourself am I truly surrendering all to God during my trials and what specifically am I doing to ensure my close relationship with Him?  Or am I trying to control things that I cannot control, and what is keeping me from truly surrendering it all?

PRAYER:

Dear Heavenly Father, I come before you and ask that you keep me close.  When I am in despair, I ask that you hear my cries and draw me closer to you.  Help me to trust your ways and surrender everything to you.  All these things I pray in Jesus name, Amen!

When we submit to God’s authority, we can trust that He sees you and we can call on El-Roi (God who sees me) in our times of despair and pain.