Dear God, When Is It My Turn?نموونە

Day 5: God Has The Last Laugh

One would think that with age the wisdom of waiting would naturally set in. Instead, as we age, it can be easy to get caught up in the worry and uncertainty of whether God's promises for your life will be fulfilled.

We ask, “Dear God, when?”

At times we are full of faith and believe that God is working all things for our good, yet we are cast down, weary, and badly hanging on to hope. These are the seasons we find ourselves petitioning heaven to know when God will finally heal us of our sickness, rid us of depression and anxiety, provide us with a partner, take our business or ministry to the next level, answer our prayer for a child, save our lost loved one or open the doors of promotion?

We succeed in thinking perhaps we ran the good fight of faith and that is enough. Have you been there? Are you there as you watch probabilities turn into impossibilities with the wearing down of time?

This is where we find Sarah. God promised to make Abraham, her husband, a great nation and yet here she was, childless, and so far along in age that as the text puts it, “The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah.” Sarah is my kind of woman because when the angel of the Lord comes through with a visit and a message that she would have a child the following year, Sarah laughed. Wouldn’t you? Hope sounds humorous when you’ve been waiting that long.

Just when you have neatly shelved your unfulfilled promise here comes hope, stirring you with a word from God that He is about to do the impossible. It’s not ludicrous to react like Sarah did but her laughter revealed her heart. Sarah’s first response to God’s word revealed that Sarah wasn’t just sad she had surrendered her faith over time.

Have you become a bit cynical during your waiting?

It’s amazing to think that while you were wiping the sleep from your eyes this morning and getting ready to start your day, somewhere on the other side of the world, someone else was already deep into REM sleep. Time looks different depending on where you are.

You may not be able to perceive where you are in God’s big picture but I want to encourage you to trust in God's timing and to wait patiently for His plans to be revealed.

“The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised. And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him.” Genesis‬ ‭21‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭

Remember that God is sovereign and His timing is always perfect. Take comfort in the fact that you are not alone in your wait and that God is with you every step of the way. Lean on Him and trust in His timing. Keep seeking Him and His will for your life, and know that His promises will be fulfilled in His time.

Prayer:

Dear God, I admit that waiting wears on me in ways that foster disbelief. Forgive me and sustain my faith in you to fulfill your promises to me even when the circumstances seem unfavorable. In Jesus' name, amen.

Pro Tip For Seasons of Waiting:

Do a heart check regularly, inspecting it for cynicism and resentment by practicing the sacrament of confessions, for out of it flows folly or favor.

Reminder:

The Lord did, as He promised concerning Sarah. Even though her heart failed, God's faithfulness did not. God was gracious toward Sarah. The promises of God are ones we can trust Him to keep. Your promise cannot run out of time because it is given by the one who is the beginning and the end.

Next Steps:

I pray these five days have refreshed and revitalized your waiting season. May you dare to trust that waiting is truly for your good. If you would like to hear more from me, click here to enjoy my other Bible reading plans available on the YouVersion Bible App.