The Promise & The Wait: When Delay Tests Your Faith

Before the crowd. Before the company. Before the properties and the podcasts.

There was only a promise.

“You will be the father of many nations.”

Abram believed God. He held that word in his heart like a seed planted in good soil. But years passed. Cities grew. His influence grew. His resources multiplied.

Yet the one thing he prayed for the promise of a son had not come.

The Weight of Waiting

Ten years into the journey, Sarah broke the silence.

“We’ve built a company. We’ve launched a podcast. We’ve bought property in three cities. But the one thing we asked Him for still hasn’t come.”

Abram sighed. “Delay doesn’t mean denial. I still believe Him.”

But Sarah pushed back. “Maybe He wants us to help Him out. Maybe waiting is just another word for stuck.”

Her eyes drifted to Hagar, the young woman serving faithfully in their household. Loyal. Smart. Present. Close.

“Maybe she’s the way.”

Sometimes the wrong answer looks convenient. Sometimes proximity feels like permission.

The Shortcut

What started as relief turned into regret.

Hagar carried the child. The cry of a newborn filled their home. The legacy they longed for seemed alive. But Sarah’s heart was heavy.

“This isn’t how I thought it would feel,” she whispered. “He holds a child in his arms… but not the promise in his heart.”

The stars overhead still echoed God’s word. Yet Abram wrestled: Was Ishmael the fulfillment or our impatience?

God’s Reminder

In the quiet of one night, God spoke again:

“I didn’t ask for your help. I asked for your trust. Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able. So shall your descendants be.” (Genesis 15:5)

The delay had stretched them. Tested them. Wounded them. But God had not forgotten His word.

The Appointed Time

Years later, Sarah’s laughter filled the same house that once echoed with sighs. Not laughter of mockery, but of joy.

She held Isaac the son of promise.

“The Lord has made me laugh,” she said. “And all who hear will laugh with me.” (Genesis 21:6)

What once felt delayed now felt perfectly timed.

God wasn’t late. He was right on time.

The Lesson

The story of Abraham and Sarah isn’t just about waiting for a child. It’s about waiting for any promise God has spoken over your life.

The waiting room of faith is not wasted time. It’s where God works deepest not just around you, but within you.

We often mistake movement for progress, shortcuts for destiny. But God’s promises are never fulfilled through compromise. They’re fulfilled at the appointed time.

Scripture to Stand On

“Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”
— Genesis 18:14

“The Lord has made me laugh, and all who hear will laugh with me.”
— Genesis 21:6

Reflection

Maybe you’ve been waiting too. For healing. For a breakthrough. For a door to open. And like Sarah, you’ve wondered: Did God forget? Did the promise skip me?

Friend, delay is not denial. God finishes what He starts. And when the promise finally comes, you’ll see it wasn’t late. It was right on time.

If you want a practical way to retrain your thoughts through praise and Scripture, this is a simple place to begin.

I created a free 7-day devotional ebook called Praise Before Prayer to help you shift from striving to worship and build a lifestyle of surrender. 

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Redeemed by Grace. Rooted in Faith. Living on Purpose.

Redeemed and Rooted
— S. A. Briddell