Episode 14 - What to Do When You Can't Take It Anymore

Have you ever reached a point where you felt overwhelmed, exhausted, and ready to walk away?

In this episode, Val shares the powerful story of Hagar, a woman who found herself in a situation she didn't create and felt she could no longer endure. After running into the wilderness, Hagar encountered El Roi—the God who sees.

Through Hagar's story, you'll discover what to do when life's pressures become overwhelming, how to bring your honest emotions to God, and why His presence is often closest when you feel most alone.

If you're carrying a heavy burden, facing a difficult situation, or wondering if God sees what you're going through, this episode will remind you that He knows exactly where you are and is already moving on your behalf.

Key Scripture: Genesis 16:13

"You are the God who sees me."

Welcome to Valetha's Greatest Moments with God, a podcast for women who desire to hear God's voice, find healing, and grow closer to Him.

Each week, Val Mitchell shares personal stories, biblical insights, and powerful revelations from her own walk with God. Through real-life experiences and practical faith lessons, you'll discover how God speaks in everyday moments, guides us through difficult seasons, and invites us into a deeper relationship with Him.

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Thank you for joining me for today's episode of Valetha's Greatest Moments with God.

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Until next time,

Hear God's Voice.
Find Healing.
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Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Good morning. How are you doing today? No matter how crazy or how stressful things get in life, we have to appreciate the fact that we are here, that we're able to see another day. The sun is still out. Amen. So no matter what you've been through yesterday, today is always a new day. And we have to take advantage of the grace and mercy that renews itself every day. When I get into the stressful situations, or where I'm going here, but when I get into stressful situations and you just finally just grateful you can put your head down at night, but it sometimes you know you only got a couple hours sleep, that time that you're going to have before you got to get up and do it all over again. What I have been always challenging myself to do is when my eyes wake up the next day, clearly understanding what tasks are at hand, what assignments need to be done, who I need to deal with that I don't want to deal with. I always try to take a few moments to just say thank you. Thank you, Lord, for bringing me into this day. No matter what chaos lies ahead, I didn't have to see this day. And Lord, I'm dependent on you to release fresh strategies, fresh revelation. Give me some clarity and direction so I can survive as I go through today. That is what's been helping me out. And it leads me into the topic that we're going to be talking about today. My name is Val Mitchell. Today is a tough one today, just because the kind of crazy week I've been having. But it's relevant now that I sit back and look at what God said, talk about today, it will kind of correlate with me personally. So I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to probably be talking to myself throughout this message. What are we talking about today? We are talking about El Roy. What does that mean? God is with us. He watches over us. Even when we don't feel it, we don't know it because of whatever life circumstances go through. He is there. And when we can't even cry out to him, he comes looking for us. Amen. So today I want to kind of do a little bit here and there, but I want to cater this story around who in the Bible. We always, when we're going through anything, we need to be able to go through, find that same story in the Bible. Why? Because you get the secret as to how you can get out of whatever you're going through. So today we're going to talk about Hagar, our dear sister Hagar. So if you don't mind, I'm going to read her story quickly here in the Bible, and then we're going to discuss it. She, her story, Hagar, is found in Genesis, and it starts in chapter 16. And we're going to go all the way through until she discovers Lord, which is probably verse 14, 15. Okay. So this, if you I'm a preference to story. If you recall, Abraham and Sarah, his wife Sarah, were promised a gift from God. They were promised to get a son. The promise of um that's going to just be a blessing, and he's going to have the start of many nations that came after him. But the timing that Abraham got that um promise from God up to the present time where we're going to start in the story, it's a lot of time that has passed. And his wife Sarah was getting very, very frustrated. How many of us know we got a promise for God? And so much time has gone past and we haven't seen it come to pass. Amen. Oh my gosh. So as you're waiting, it gets a little frustrating because you want that so, so bad. So you figure you can kind of help out and say, okay, if I do this, then surely me partnering with God, I'm gonna get what God promised me. But because God was hand was not in that, what you chose to do, excuse me, it can end crazy. So let's dive into the story now that you have the background. Come on. Now, Sarah, and I'm reading out of the NIV version. Now, Sarah, Sarai, Abram, Abram's wife had borne him no children. She had an Egyptian slave named Hagar. That's what we're talking about today. 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. Abram agreed to what Sarai said. So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, mind you that timing, Sarai his wife, took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. He slept with Hagar and she conceived. When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. Then Sarai said to Abram, You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my slave in your arms, and now she knows she's pregnant. She despises me. May the Lord judge between you and me. Your slave is in your hands, Abram said. Do with her whatever you think is best. So then Sarai mistreated Hagar so bad that she fled from her. The angel of the Lord found Hagar. Now that's the key we're going to go into. Near a spring in the desert. It was the spring that is beside the road to Shur. And he said, Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from? And where are you going? I'm running away from my mistress Sarai, she answered. Then the angel of the Lord told her, Go back to your mistress, submit to her. The angel added, I will increase your descendants so much that they will be numerous to count. The angel of the Lord also said to her, You are pregnant now and you will give birth to a son. You shall name him Ishmael. For the Lord has heard your misery. He will be a wild donkey of a man, his hand will be against everyone, and everyone's hand against him. Now that ain't good. Um, and he will live in hostility towards his brothers. That ain't good either. She gave the name to the Lord who spoke to her. Hagar found herself, like many of us, sometimes put into situations that we didn't ask for. And as a result of situations, we we have ourselves, sometimes we we cause some of it, but sometimes we don't. But Hagar found herself in such a hostile environment that she just said, I quit, and she ran out the door. I am one that used to be that same way when pressure boiled up, when heated situations came from. You know what? I'm at it, I'm running, and I don't want to deal with this no more. I know I am not alone in that. Even today, I don't run like I used to, but I go find the space. I gotta get out of that atmosphere because it's too toxic. And then I go run and I find somewhere to sit and refresh myself. Hagar did the same thing. Hagar got so frustrated in the toxic, chaotic situation she was in, she just ran and she found herself sitting in the wilderness in the desert by a stream. Now, what's key in that verse, which I think many of us need to also take note, that when you run and everything is just okay, I'm tired, I'm frustrated, I can't handle this right now. And you just take off and leave that situation. Let's do what Hagar did. She found a place where she can sit and just think and get her thoughts together. What's key in that verse when uh in Genesis 7 and 8, 16, verse 7 and 8, that says, the angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring. Hagar went somewhere where she can find herself. So I had to dig some deep because there's always revelation in the word if you do a little bit deeper diving into it. When you look at a stream, it's always a flow of water. It's a spring. So it's constantly moving, it's gentle, it's refreshing, it always allows you to sit back. Hello, my friends, how are you doing? I see you coming in. But a stream is a place that you can relax because it's always constantly moving, it's just flowing and it's ripple. When Hagar gave up and she couldn't find herself anymore because it was, we all, me alone, I told you, this week has been, these past two weeks have been challenging. It is okay to step away from that space. And when you just take off and run, you find yourself somewhere where you just don't know where you're at. She was in a desert, but she was able to find a string, a spring. What's key in that verse, if we keep that passage, excuse me, is God found her. He came seeking to where she's at. And I'm even crazy enough to believe that God put that spring right in her path because she he knew she needed a place to stop, catch her breath, and feel some kind of refreshing because the chaos in her mind and in her soul was overflowing when she just could not take another step. I know I am not the only one that can feel a Hagar. But what God wanted me to talk to you about today is what Hagar discovered in that crazy moment. He is the God that sees you, he sees what you're going through, and even in Hagar's case, in ours as well, he came back to find Hagar. The verse tells us the angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring in the desert. That means, this is Val Mitchell interpretation, because I have seen it in my own life, that when you are in a crisis mode, and he's only gonna let you go through to, you know, you're not gonna take more than you can bear. And when you go out, God came after her, went after Hagar until he found her where she was. And what did he say to him when the angel found him? Hagar, where are you coming from? And where are you going? Many of us seem to forget that he is ever present, that even in the chaos, he is there right alongside us, and many of us respond like Hagar do, and we run because we can only take so much. But again, Val Mitchell's interpretation. But I believe the Lord was saying this. Hagar, where are you going? Did you forget I was in that mist? Did you forget I'm right there with you? Hagar, where are you going? Why are you running? Why you not coming to me? Whatever the situation is, whatever the chaos that you're dealing with, God said, Where are you going? I'm right here. I am right by your side. Next time, turn to God, even in the midst of it. Believe me, at work, be in that bathroom, stall, have lots of moments with God. I run in my bathroom at work plenty of times. Jesus. Catch her breath. And he came and speak to her. Let's not forget that he he is always with us. And when the tension bubbles up so so high, remember. Okay, God, you I know you're here. What are we gonna do about this? How you want me to act? Lord, take it away, whatever your prayer is, but he loves you so much, just like he loves Hagar, that he ran after her and he didn't stop until he found her. That's a word all by itself. So God wanted me to give some instructions, and this is not even what I was going to do. And when we get into those moments, God says, now I know why he says it. But when he gave it to me, I was trying to figure out how to put all this together, but I get it now. God said, look in my direction. Because I see you. Oh, I did not seriously, I didn't get that when he told it to me. I was trying to, I was really trying to figure out how to put that in here.

SPEAKER_00 16:33

Pray to L. Rowai. When you're in that moment.

SPEAKER_01 16:43

Look in his direction. So let me give you an example. I I got so many examples. Jesus. I'm gonna try to keep it regularly. Let's I was talking about my job earlier. So I was in a meeting where I knew I had to be present because the people that were in there were really coming after what I wanted to do. And they were coming after me fierce and hard. They have already gone to their, it had already got escalated and everything. So I knew I had to walk into them, that that meeting. Already frustrated and just upset because I just don't like nonsense. And so um normally I would have been like hey guy. I would have called him sick. I'm just being honest. I would have called him sick, I would have ran, I would have just said, okay, so boss, my boss, you gotta go in there because I'm I don't feel like that. I'm just I'm tired and I don't want to deal with this. Because to prepare, you got work to do on your side. So I had to dig all the stuff up, I had to make sure it looked right, make sure it presented. A lot of work to do. And in the past, I would have been like, Hagar, and I would have ran. And the angel would have had to come and find me. Like, where you going? Where you going, Val? Why you leaving? Where are you going now that you're out here? What you gonna do? Oh, Jesus. Oh, I told you I ministered to myself. So, anyhow, got myself ready. Before I went in that room, I went to God and God said, Look in my direction. So I went in the I went to the bathroom. That's I told you, that's me and guys one-on-one time when I'm at work and I'm stressed. And I prayed. I said, God, you are the guy who sees me. You are the guy who knows me. You already know what I'm about to face even before I walk in here. So I always pray for wisdom. I pray for a loving heart. My issue is I get the fence women and I go at, but we know in all situations we have to show love. We have to be the light in no matter what the situation is. So, Holy Spirit, help me be the light in this midst of darkness I'm about to walk into. Went in there and so surprised that the atmosphere just shifted. It was so calm and peaceful in that meeting. Everybody's willing to talk. I got to get my spirit, we got a solution. And I walked out of there with my mouth like I really did. God told me that Val, if you give them these instructions, I will send an angel in to respond. Just like I did for Hagar. So I said, Lord, you know, I'm looking trying to figure, okay, step one, do this, step two, do that, step three, do this, step four, do that. I really did, guys. Because I didn't know what instructions I was supposed to give. But now I get it. God said, look in his direction. When you find yourself in that situation, pray to El Roy, the God that sees you. Be honest in that moment. I was honest in that moment. She said, I'm running away from my mistress because I can't take this mess no more. I went in the bathroom and said, Lord, you know what I'm about to go into. It can be with your son. You and your son could be battling. Lord, I really want my son to have a better lifestyle. You see what's going on. I'm tired of fighting with my son. When you pray, you be honest with God. He already knows anyway. Be honest with him. Tell him your heart. That's what he wants anyway. Because when we open our heart up the more to God and allow whatever frustrations, doubt, worry. God, you said you're giving me this promise. I ain't seen it, and I'm starting honestly to doubt if I'm gonna get it, God. I know that's why the verse He had a verse in the Bible say, Lord, I believe you can do it, but help me with my unbelief, whatever it is. Pray and be honest with God. Then I want you to wait and listen for him to give you instructions. Now, for me, going back to my job when I prayed, I didn't get a Val, make sure you do this. But what I got as I listened, I could feel the weight come off of me. I came in there tense, mad, angry, frustrating. But I felt that weight come off of me, that I can put on a smile and go right into that room. Allow God to speak to you however he wants to speak to you. For Hagar, he sent an angel to remind her that God sees you. I'm trying to go into the word. And he gave her specific instructions. Do you think it would have been easy for Hagar to go back to her mistress after she just ran out of all that nonsense, knowing that when she goes back, she got to go back into nonsense? You can't do that unless you get a refreshing from God. Well she did just like I did going into that meeting. God lifted that weight off of her shoulders and reminded her. I am with you. And you are not doing this alone. That was all Hagar needed to pick herself up, remove her pride, her shame, and she went back into Sarai's house. So what do I have for you that if you follow this advice, I'm trusting and believing God. He's gonna send an angel to you, and he's gonna respond. Pray in the midst of whatever you're going through. Pray directly to L R. God sees me. And then look in his direction. Be honest in your prayer. It's only you and God in there in that moment. So you ain't gotta worry about somebody hearing you or thinking they're gonna talk about you. Let it go. Let it go. And allow God to minister to you. And I'm trusting and believing He's gonna send that angel to respond.

SPEAKER_00 24:55

However he chooses to do.

SPEAKER_01 25:05

When it comes to our sons, when it comes to our work, when it comes to just life situations. But God is telling you today, just look in his direction. Look up towards the hills where our help comes from. Because he ain't left, he's there, he's still with you, and he sees you in everything you do. The good, the bad, and even the ugly. Look in his direction. Pray to the God that sees you. Be honest with him. And then wait and listen for him to respond. So, Heavenly Father, we thank you today. We praise your holy, holy name today. Elbri, we thank you for seeing us, and no matter what we're going through. We thank you, Father, because you are a God that even when we run, you're gonna put a spring in our path that allows us to be refreshed in the moment, and then you're gonna come after us and you won't stop until you find us. And you're gonna remind us in that moment. I'm still here, I still love you, and that you are not walking alone. So, Jesus, I pray that everyone that hears me today, that if you can just send a refreshing spring their way, give them something tangible, Lord, to remind them, just like the angel reminded Hagar, that she is not by herself and that you are there with her. And Hagar even got a new fresh promise that said this child that she was carrying is going to increase descendants so much that they're going to be numerous to count. Lord, we thank you that you continue to be there with us and that you even give us a glimpse as to why we go through what we go through. And I thank you and I praise you in Jesus' name. We're gonna end today. On that note, I pray you have a blessed rest of the Saturday. Lord showed up today because this was all him. I was really not, I had some good notes, guys. This is not what I was doing, but it ain't about me. I've always said I want to be the one that God can use to get to his people to remind them that he is still God. So I love you. Thanks for joining me.