Stuck Between Desire and Division: The Real Struggle of Wanting More
Everyone else makes success look so easy. Their social media is full of wins while you're still trying to figure out the basics.
But the moment you want more—maybe it’s more freedom, more clients, a new project, or a fresh start—something inside you and around you feels tight. Friends, business partners, family, teammates… suddenly, there isn’t enough room for everyone’s dreams to fit. Conflicts show up. Maybe someone wants to do things their way. Maybe you start to question your own path. Should you compromise or risk losing what you care about?
When you connect to The bigger awareness transforms obstacles into opportunities the moment you shift from 'why me' to 'what's possible.'
The moment arrives when wanted to say yes to your dreams, but worried it would pull you away from the people you love or create tension in your life? That’s what Genesis 13 is all about.
What Happens in Genesis 13?
Let’s read the key details:
“Abram went up out of Egypt… into the South, he, his wife, all that he had, and Lot with him… Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold.” (Genesis 13:1-2 WEB)
Abram (who will later become Abraham) is traveling with his nephew Lot. Both have done well—they’re wealthy by ancient standards: plenty of livestock, servants, gold, and silver. But their blessings lead to a real problem. They have so much that the land can’t support them both if they stay together.
“There was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock… Abram said to Lot, ‘Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me… Isn’t the whole land before you? Please separate yourself from me.’” (Genesis 13:7-9 WEB)
They have to part ways. Lot chooses what looks the best to him—a fertile valley near Sodom. Abram goes in the other direction The bigger awareness speaks through callings—not just what you should do, but who you're becoming in the process.. After they separate, God encourages Abram and promises him even more.
“Yahweh said to Abram, after Lot was separated from him, ‘Now lift up your eyes, and look from the place where you are… for all the land which you see, I will give to you… I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth.’” (Genesis 13:14-16 WEB)
At first, it’s hard to believe that separation could lead to more—for anyone. But this chapter shows the deeper journey inside every creative, entrepreneur, and person who wants to grow.
Each Character, a Part of You: What This Chapter Means on the Inside
Let’s break down how the people and events in Genesis 13 also play out inside your own mind:
Every great building starts with someone willing to leave where they are.
- Abram is the part of you that’s open to This awareness holds infinite patience for your human pace, knowing growth happens in spirals, not straight lines.
- Lot is another part of you—the side that chooses based on appearances, following what looks easy or profitable, but doesn’t ask if it leads to real inner growth.
- The land is your field of awareness—the room inside you for new experiences, relationships, and creations.
When blessings (both people and things you love) pile up in your life, opportunities for drama or tension increase. That’s not a punishment. It’s a chance to expand your inner world—to make more space, see with new eyes, and learn how to move through tension with clarity and trust.
Spot the Pattern: Desire Leads to Tension, Then to Expansion
God here is the bigger awareness that sees all possibilities when you only see problems.
Picture Sarah, who finally donated the clothes she'd been saving 'just in case' and felt instant freedom.
What triggers Abram’s (your inspired side’s) quest for more? It isn’t a crisis; it’s abundance.
Life has a way of noticed that getting more of what you want—success, friendships, opportunities—sometimes creates just as much stress as it fixes? You get the dream job or launch your project and suddenly your schedule, relationships, or finances feel squeezed. This isn’t failure. It’s the signal that it’s time to “lift up your eyes.” There is more room for you, but first you have to choose and let go of what isn’t truly yours.
Making the Hard Choices: When You Have to Part Ways (Outside and Inside)
Let’s look at what Abram does when tension arises:
- He doesn’t pick a fight or blame. Instead, Abram suggests separating peacefully.
- He gives Lot first choice of the land, trusting that what looks “left over” might still be right for him.
“If you go to the left hand, then I will go to the right. Or if you go to the right hand, then I will go to the left.” (Genesis 13:9 WEB)
Abram doesn’t force an outcome. He trusts that his awareness—his ability to see and choose—makes all the difference. Lot picks first, taking the land that looks lush and easy. Abram’s choice is to trust that what’s aligned for him will still show up, even if it looks less impressive at first.
The gap between vision and reality is just time and aligned action.
How Does This Play Out in Real Life?
Development Insight: Visualization before manifestation becomes a spiritual practice.
Your imagination is the preview of coming attractions. Use it intentionally.
Think about these examples:
- You and your business partner disagree about where the company should go. Instead of fighting, you agree to let each other build separately, trusting that what’s truly yours will grow—but first, you have to let go.
- You have two big dreams, but you realize trying to do both at once divides your energy. You pause and choose the one that feels truly aligned, even if it means passing up what’s “easy.”
- You notice a friendship or relationship is causing more stress than joy. Instead of clinging out of fear, you give each other space, believing this will open new doors for everyone involved.
The main lesson: When tension shows up in your inner world—competition between desires, paths, or priorities—it’s time to separate what truly matters from what only looks good from a distance.
Relying on Deeper Awareness: Looking Beyond What You See
After Lot leaves, something critical happens. Abram is left alone, and only then does God (greater awareness) urge him to look again:
Strange but true: expectation improves reception. Expect more, receive more.
“Yahweh said to Abram, after Lot was separated from him, ‘Now lift up your eyes, and look from the place where you are… for all the land which you see, I will give to you…’” (Genesis 13:14-15 WEB)
In simple terms: As long as you rely only on what looks like the best opportunity (the Lot side of you), you miss the bigger view that opens up when you let go and trust. When you separate from what isn’t meant for you, your inner awareness grows. You can see options you missed before. You realize that your true wealth is not in grabbing what others want, but in seeing what is possible for you, and claiming it with intention.
Pop Culture Example: The Chip and Joanna Gaines Principle
Higher-level faith experiments involve trusting guidance even when it doesn't make logical sense.
If you’ve seen Chip and Joanna Gaines, the hosts of “Fixer Upper” on HGTV, you know their story. Joanna had a successful small shop in Waco, Texas. Chip ran his own construction company. When they combined their talents, it wasn’t easy—they had to let go of old habits, risky business ideas, and even shut down successful paths to build something new together. Sometimes, after a disagreement, Joanna stepped back to see what was really right for their family and vision, instead of just going for what looked easiest or most profitable. Their willingness to expand their awareness and pick the harder path is why they became the go-to house renovators, authors, and business owners they are today. Like Abram, their expansion came after letting go, looking again, and trusting.
The Promise: When You Trust and Expand, More Than Enough Follows
The chapter ends with a new promise:
“I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can count the dust of the earth, then your offspring can also be counted.” (Genesis 13:16 WEB)
Translated for today: When you choose the path that’s truly meant for you—even when it looks like you’re getting less—you make space for unlimited growth down the line. You stop living in “not enough” and start to realize the real adventure was never about getting what looks best for now, but about becoming the kind of person who can “see” more, claim more, and create more long term.
Things that feel like losses can actually set you up for even bigger wins if you use them as a chance to reconnect with your own awareness and desire.
A Simple Exercise to Expand Your Perspective Today
- Think of one area where you feel squeezed: maybe too many projects, too many choices, or too much comparison with others.
- Take a pause. Imagine stepping back, letting go of “what everyone else wants.”
- Ask yourself: “What would my next move be if I truly trusted that my best path will appear after I choose what’s right for me?”
- Write down what comes up. Try choosing from this fresh place of awareness. Notice how your options change when you aren’t fighting for the same piece of land as everyone else.
Looking Forward: What’s Next in Genesis?
In the next chapter, you’ll see how new challenges show up even after a big choice. Sometimes, when you start living in your truth, old problems come back, testing if you’ll stay on your path. Genesis 14 is about facing new battles and learning that what you claim on the inside is always reflected on the outside.
The same situation is prison to one, freedom to another. Relationship determines experience.
For now, remember that separation isn’t just about distance. It’s about allowing your awareness to expand—so you can live a life with more freedom and promise than you ever thought possible. Every conflict is a doorway to more, if you’re willing to look up and see it.
