Y'all Still Waiting? Me Too...So Were Sarah and Abraham -Trusting God in YOUR Waiting Room

Waiting is one of the hardest tests of faith. It’s the silent hallway between prayer and promise, where you don’t know how long the doors will stay closed—or if they’ll ever open. Sarah and Abraham knew that hallway better than most.

God had promised them a son, but as the years turned into decades, the promise began to look less like a miracle and more like a cruel joke. Sarah’s body was aging. Abraham’s strength was fading. Month after month, year after year, disappointment settled over their home like dust. How long could they hope for something that felt biologically impossible?

Imagine Sarah lying awake at night, staring into the darkness, replaying God’s words in her mind: “I will give you a son.” Maybe she whispered, “But when, Lord? How much longer?” Perhaps Abraham wrestled with his own thoughts: “Did I misunderstand? Did I hear Him right?” Both of them likely battled doubt, discouragement, and the crushing weight of waiting.

If you’ve ever prayed for healing, for reconciliation, for provision, or for a door to open that still hasn’t budged—you know what that feels like. You know how the silence from heaven can start to feel like abandonment.

And when the wait gets unbearable, we often start to scheme. That’s exactly what Sarah and Abraham did. They tried to “help” God keep His promise. Sarah offered Hagar, and Ishmael was born. It wasn’t God’s plan, but a human workaround. And like most of our attempts to play God, it created more pain, confusion, and heartache than blessing.

Isn’t that just like us? We see the ticking clock, we count the years, and we think, Surely God needs a little help here. But the truth is—He doesn’t. God doesn’t move according to our clocks or calendars. He is not pressured by deadlines, biological limits, or expiration dates.

When God finally gave Sarah and Abraham their promised son, Isaac, it was in His timing, and it was perfect. Not a second too soon. Not a second too late.

Our Modern “Waiting Rooms”

Maybe you’ve been there—or maybe you’re there right now.

• You’ve been single for years, longing for marriage, and it feels like God has forgotten.

• You’ve prayed for a baby, but the months keep passing with no positive test.

• You’ve begged for financial relief, yet bills keep stacking higher than your paycheck.

• You’ve prayed for a loved one to come to Christ, but their heart seems harder than ever.

• You've prayed for your business to take off, but the funding isn't available and clients are scarce.

• You've prayed for a job, but you keep getting denied.

• You've been promised healing, but the test results and reports remain the same.

In all these situations, the promise of God feels as impossible as Sarah giving birth at ninety. And waiting—really waiting—can feel like slow-motion heartbreak.

The Mental Battle of the Wait

Sarah laughed when God said she would have a son. Not because she thought it was funny, but because the very idea felt absurd. That laugh carried disbelief, exhaustion, maybe even bitterness. If you’ve been waiting on God long enough, you know what that laugh feels like. It’s the chuckle you let out when someone tells you “God’s timing is perfect” while you’re still stuck in the middle of pain.

It’s okay to admit the waiting wears on you. It affects your mental health. The questions, the loneliness, the endless wondering—“Why not me? Why not now?”—can be heavy.

But here’s the hope: even in the delay, God is not absent. Even in the silence, He is working. And every second of waiting is intentional.

What to Do While You Wait

So what do we do while we wait for God’s promises? How do we keep from interfering, like Sarah and Abraham did, and creating unnecessary pain?

Here are a few activities that can encourage your faith:

1. Journal the journey. Write down your prayers, your fears, your frustrations, and the promises you’re holding on to. Later, when God answers, you’ll have a record of how He carried you through.

2. Worship while you wait. Not because you feel like it, but because worship shifts your focus. When you lift your eyes from the clock to the Creator, perspective changes.

3. Serve someone else. Nothing takes your mind off your own delay like pouring love into someone else’s life. Volunteer, mentor, or simply be a friend.

4. Speak life over yourself. Post scriptures on your mirror, car dashboard, or phone lock screen. Every time you see them, remind yourself that God keeps every single promise He makes.

5. Practice surrender. Each day, lay your dreams back at God’s feet. It’s not giving up; it’s giving over. Trusting that His way really is better.

The Encouragement We Need

Waiting will never be easy. It will always test us in ways we don’t feel prepared for. But Sarah and Abraham’s story reminds us that God’s promises are not empty words. When God says He will do it, He will.

And here’s the best part: the fulfillment of His promises doesn’t depend on your strength, your timeline, or your plan. God doesn’t need your help. He only needs your trust.

So if you’re waiting today—don’t give up. Don’t try to manufacture a shortcut. Hold on. Keep believing. One day, like Sarah, you’ll hold the promise in your hands, and your laughter will no longer be bitter—it will be joy overflowing.

Because the God who made the promise is faithful to keep it. Always. (Isaiah 60:22)