Abram and Sarai often failed in their “faith.” That’s rather surprising since Abram is known as the example of the faithful. But don’t ever think that his faith never faltered. It did, often! But one of the major lessons regarding faith 
in Abram’s life are the lessons that teach us what happens when we fail to trust God. Looking up in faith to God and trusting Him is always the best course of action, even when it seems contrary to wisdom. Herschel Hobbs writes, “a person is not to rely on his or her own understanding or insight. At best human knowledge is fragmentary. What may seem best to the individual at the moment may not be best in the long haul. Up-sight, not insight, is to be the governing factor of life. Then the person will have no reason to have regrets when viewing life from hindsight.”
My hindsight is always 20/20!. We often see the mistakes we’ve made and wish we could do things over. Many times I see how these mistakes piled up to bring about a consequence that I’d love to have a chance to do over. Alexander Pope said, “To Err is human” But to “make matters worse” is another human specialty. I can do that well. Sarai and Abram learned all about making mistakes and then making matters worse.
Genesis 16:1-2 says, “Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said to Abram, Behold now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her. And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.” Sarai gave her maiden, Hagar, to Abram as a sort of surrogate mother. Big mistake! Talk about making matters worse! But it doesn’t stop there. When Hagar does indeed give Abram a son, Ishmael, Sarai makes matters worse by treating Hagar so harshly that she runs away. Notice that neither Abram nor Sarai made any attempt to go after her. This action made matters worse for every generation to follow because Ishmael is to become the father of the Arab nations who will become the permanent enemies of Sarai’s one son, Isaac, and all the descendants to follow. What a perfect illustration of Proverbs 3:5-6 which says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”