Visions of the Spirit
There are moments in life when we have received a promise, believed in it with all our hearts, and done everything we know to bring it to pass—yet still, nothing happens. In the quiet, we may wonder, “God, why is this taking so long?” The pressure mounts, the doubts creep in, and it feels as if the wait may never end. We are tempted to take matters into our own hands, to step in and do what we think is best.
But then, the Holy Spirit reminds us of a profound lesson from the lives of Abraham and Sarah, and their journey of faith.
1. Abraham and Sarah: The Struggle to Trust God’s Timing
“Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; 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.’”
—Genesis 16:1-2 (NIV)
Abraham and Sarah received a promise from God: they would have a child, and from this child, a great nation would be born. Yet, as time passed, they grew older, and Sarah’s barrenness remained. In the face of God’s apparent silence, they began to question God’s timing and resorted to their own willpower. In a moment of impatience and doubt, Sarah encouraged Abraham to have a child with her servant, Hagar, and thus, Ishmael was born.
In their desperation, Abraham and Sarah tried to do what only God could do. They let their circumstances—Sarah’s age, the pressure from their community, and the passage of time—override the faith they had initially placed in God’s promise.
Revelation: When you try to solve God’s promise with your own methods, you risk creating more problems for yourself. Just like Sarah and Abraham created Ishmael, we too create Ishmaels in our lives when we act outside of faith.
2. God’s Promise Was Fulfilled – Through Faith
“But God said to Abraham, ‘It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.’”
—Genesis 21:12 (NIV)
Though Abraham and Sarah had made a decision outside of faith, God still honored His promise. Isaac, the child of promise, was born through faith, and God blessed him abundantly. Isaac became the true heir of the blessing and was the one through whom the promises of God were passed down.
But Ishmael, the son of their own willpower, was not the chosen one for God’s plan. Though God still blessed him, it was not the same as the divine blessing that Isaac received.
Revelation: God’s promises are not dependent on your ability to force things to happen. When we wait in faith, God will fulfill His promises in His perfect timing, and His blessing will flow in ways that surpass anything we could do by our own efforts.
3. The Stillness of Faith: Trusting God’s Timing
“Be still, and know that I am God.”
—Psalm 46:10 (NIV)
The temptation to “make something happen” can be strong when you’re in the silence of waiting. But the Spirit of Truth reminds us: Be still. Trust in God’s timing. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
We must rest in the fact that God is doing the work. Our role is to remain in faith, focus on His promises, and trust that everything is unfolding according to His perfect plan.
Revelation: The peace that surpasses understanding comes when we surrender our control and trust in God’s divine plan. When you stop worrying, you open space for God to work.
4. The Promise Is Alive – Trusting Through Silence
When nothing seems to happen, and pressure is real, the best course of action is to trust God with all your heart, mind, and strength. Just as Abraham had to trust that God’s promise would come in His timing, so must we. We are told to live by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).
The silence isn’t a sign of rejection; it’s an opportunity for God to work in us, refining our faith.
5. The Lesson: Trust in God’s Grace Through Faith
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
—Matthew 6:33 (NIV)
When we seek God’s kingdom first, and trust Him to fulfill His promises, He will take care of everything else. This means not worrying about tomorrow, not trying to force solutions, and not allowing pressure to dictate our decisions. God within is doing the work. Our job is to stay aligned with Him in faith and patience.
Revelation: Trusting God through silence, when everything feels delayed, is the most powerful thing you can do. Your faith in His timing, not your willpower, will bring forth the harvest in due season.
Affirmation from the Spirit:
“I trust in the Lord with all my heart. I will not lean on my own understanding. I rest in the knowledge that God’s timing is perfect, and His promises will come to pass. I will be still and know that He is God.”
In closing, just as God fulfilled His promise to Abraham and Sarah—so He will fulfill His promises to you. The waiting may feel long, but the victory is certain. Trust in His grace, rest in His peace, and be still as you live by faith, not by sight.
It is finished. Amen.
This is a reminder that faith in God’s timing and staying still in His presence will always lead to the manifestation of His promises.
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