A Risky Move, a Sudden Fear: Living Out Genesis 20
You just realized you've been doing the same thing for ten years. Not growing, not learning—just repeating. How did this happen?
Genesis 20 tells a story about someone who finds himself in a tricky spot, caught between his genuine desires and his fears of what could go wrong. If you’ve ever felt afraid that your goals might get stolen, or worried that telling the truth would cost you, this chapter is for you.
The awareness that created galaxies is interested in your smallest concern.
What Happens in Genesis 20?
The main character, Abraham, travels with his wife Sarah to a new land called Gerar. There, the ruler (Abimelech) notices Sarah’s beauty. Abraham, afraid that people might hurt him to take his wife, tells everyone that Sarah is his sister. This lie creates confusion and risk for everyone involved:
“Abraham said about Sarah his wife, ‘She is my sister.’ Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.” (Genesis 20:2, WEB)
God visits Abimelech in a dream, warning him not to touch Sarah, because she is married. Abimelech, who acted innocently, returns Sarah. In the end, Abraham explains he was afraid, Abimelech gives back Sarah along with gifts, and everyone is safe. Even Abraham’s prayers heal Abimelech’s household from sickness.
On the surface, it’s a story about fear, honesty, forgiveness, and restoring what was lost. But looked at closer, it's also about what goes on inside you—your awareness, your choices, your fears, and how you find your way back to peace when you slip up.
The Inner Characters: Awakened Awareness and the Power of Choice
Let’s look at who is who, not just as people in a story, but as different parts of your own self:
- Abraham: He is the conscious mind—the decider. He wants to move forward, to build, or to create, but fears what might go wrong.
- Sarah: She is the creative power, the part of you that nurtures and brings ideas to life. She is precious—your vision, your dream, your passion.
- Abimelech: He stands for the unfamiliar parts of yourself, or the outside world, that seem to have power over your dreams.
Just like in real life, when you reach for something new, a part of you might worry, “If I show what I really care about, people might take it away, or I’ll lose my chance.” That’s how the conscious mind sometimes makes quick, protective choices before thinking about the bigger truth.
Reflect: Once again, “Hid” Your Dreams?
Sometimes you have to leave home to find yourself.
Time reveals that gone into a new school, job, or group, and tried to hide what you loved most, just to fit in? Maybe you said something was “no big deal,” even when it was huge for you. Why did you do that? Was it safety, or just plain fear?
This is what Abraham does. In hiding Sarah (his greatest treasure) as “just a sister,” he tries to protect himself by not living fully in the open.
Stop waiting for permission. Remember when chaos to calm seemed impossible
Think of Carlos, who faced his fear of public speaking and discovered his natural leadership gift.
What Do the Events Mean Mystically?
This story is less about the wrongness of a lie and more about what happens inside us when fear takes over. Think of your goals and dreams as “Sarah”—they are beautiful, creative, and life-giving. When you fear that being honest about them will bring harm, you might hide your true intentions. This is what happens when we say "I'm not really an artist," when we deeply are. Or when we say "It's just a hobby," when it’s our burning desire.
When you hide what matters most, you hand it over to the outside world (“Abimelech”)—to chance, to people around you, to situations and their control. But even when you make this mistake, all is not lost. Something bigger is watching out for you—your own higher awareness, intuition, or that quiet voice inside that sees the big picture.
The Moment of Truth: Awareness Steps In
Development Insight: Experimental faith means testing what you receive.
Visualization isn't wishful thinking—it's how you tune into what's trying to emerge.
“But God came to Abimelech in a dream… ‘Behold, you are a dead man, because of the woman whom you have taken; for she is a man’s wife.’” (Genesis 20:3, WEB)
What you're afraid of losing was never yours to keep.
This is the moment when the truth makes itself known. Even when you make a decision out of fear, awareness has a way of waking you up by sending strong feelings, intuition, or sudden clarity—the “dream” that tells you something's not right.
Experience teaches that gotten a gut feeling after making a little lie (“I’m fine, this isn’t my dream, whatever”) and realized deep down you were off-track? That’s your awareness stepping in, telling you to come clean—not just with the world, but with yourself.
The universe responds to what you see and feel, not what you say you want.
Facing Consequences Without Judgment
The experiment evolves: first you test if guidance comes, then you test how consistently you can receive it.
Even though the outside world (Abimelech) is confused and accidentally does the wrong thing, when the truth comes to light, nobody gets punished or pushed away. Instead, there’s a return to right order. Abraham is honest about his fear. Sarah is returned, and abundance flows again.
“Abraham prayed to God. God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his female servants, and they bore children.” (Genesis 20:17, WEB)
This is what happens when you admit your fears, recover your dreams, and return to your purpose—everything begins to flourish again.
Everyday Example: The New Offer Pitch
Let’s say there’s a young entrepreneur, Jane. She’s ready to pitch her idea for a community coffee shop to a group of investors. But she’s scared. What if they steal her idea? So, when she faces them, she plays it down. “Oh, it’s just something I’m thinking about,” she says.
The skeptic in you is welcome. Let results speak louder than doubts.
The investors understand, but sense something is missing. Time passes, and Jane feels uneasy. She can’t sleep. Her passion feels stuck. Finally, her mentor calls her and asks, “Why are you hiding what matters?” Jane has to admit she was protecting herself out of fear—not trusting her awareness, her dream, or the flow of life itself.
When she returns, tells the real story—“This is my vision, and I believe in it”—everything changes. Investors get excited. Jane’s confidence grows. Her “Sarah”—her dream—returns to where it belongs, and suddenly, opportunities open up for her. This is what the Genesis 20 story looks like in everyday life.
You don’t have to be an entrepreneur to live this out. Anyone who hides a talent, a hope, or a relationship out of fear and later admits the truth walks through the same inner journey as Abraham.
What This Story Teaches: From Fear to Alignment
If you ever make a choice from fear, don’t beat yourself up. The story shows us:
- Even when you lose sight of your true self (or make a bad call), truth can be restored.
- Your awareness will nudge you—sometimes through dreams, feelings, or guilt—back to your real values.
- When you get honest, own your dreams, and align with what matters most, things begin to work again. Life becomes generous.
It isn’t about never making mistakes. It’s about being willing to come back to what’s true.
Pop Culture Tie-In: entrepreneurs who pivot their businesses and Owning Your Values
Think about entrepreneurs who pivot their businesses, former NFL quarterback and baseball player, who was open about his Christian faith during his sports career. He could have hidden this core part of his identity to avoid controversy or criticism. Many athletes are told to keep their beliefs or passions quiet, but Tebow chose to stand in his truth. Some people didn’t like it, but many more found inspiration. Even after his time in the NFL, he’s continued to flourish, speaking, writing, and helping others. Just like Abraham and Sarah, Tebow’s story reminds us that bringing your true values and dreams out into the open allows life to move forward and restores inner “flow.”
Practical Exercise: Bringing Back Your “Sarah”
Tonight, or whenever you have a quiet moment, ask yourself:
- Is there something I care about that I’ve been hiding or playing down because of fear?
- What might happen if I admitted this to myself—or even shared it with someone I trust?
- How can I take one brave step to bring my real hope, dream, or talent “back home”?
Notice what thoughts show up. Just being curious about this is the first step to shifting back to alignment, to letting your inner creativity flow again.
Open hands receive more than clenched fists. In everything.
A Glimpse at What’s Next
In the next chapter, Abraham and Sarah’s long journey brings the birth of something new. After all their doubts and missteps, their patience and return to truth, what they most desire finally comes to life. If you’ve ever wondered whether returning to yourself, after a mistake, could still give you a new beginning—Genesis 21 will show you the real answer. The adventure continues, and you’re right in the middle of it.
