The Grace of Sarah: a 5-Day Devotional for Those Called to WaitSample

Day 2 - Hard Starts And Good Endings " But the Lord inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram’s wife Sarai." -Genesis 12:17 (NIV) "But God came to Abimelek in a dream one night and said to him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman.” - Genesis 20: 3 (NIV) One of my favorite scriptures is Psalm 37:23. It affirms the sovereignty of God over our lives. If you are His child, there is no detail that escapes Him. I know, personally, that one of the hardest parts of waiting is feeling forgotten by God. It is not always easy to see others progressing in life. Because while you, too, may be progressing, that one area of delay outweighs everything else and stirs feelings of inferiority. All of it calls into question God’s knowledge of our whereabouts. I recall a season of waiting when the enemy kept whispering lies about me not only being forgotten but cursed. Completely forgetting Galatians 3:13, there were no other plausible explanations for what seemed like one delay after another. If you have ever had a similar thought, I want to assure you of two truths. Truth #1: It is the enemy’s full-time job to lie to you. In fact, not only is it his full-time job, but he also makes a habit of clocking in overtime. John 8:44 reminds us that the enemy is the father of lies. That is, he is the patriarch, originator, and overseer of anything deceitful. His job is to find and amplify your insecurities. If waiting makes you feel forgotten, unknown, or inadequate, know that the enemy spends a great deal of time trying to consume you with those thoughts. Once you understand that, it’s easier to call the seasons out for what they are – temporary and not indications of your identity. Truth #2: Often, when God calls people to divine waiting seasons, He is doing something that will transcend them. Those called to waiting have not only shifted culture, but they have changed the trajectory of generations. If anyone would understand this, it would be John the Baptist. From birth, his life seemed to be delayed (Luke 1:5-7). His ministry started with him being purposefully hidden (Luke 1:80) – another delay. Yet, he was handpicked and predestined as the forerunner for Jesus Himself. The man who, by natural measures, almost never was, radically shifted culture by preaching and baptizing many in preparation for the coming salvation. Sarah, too, was called to wait, although set apart and favored by God. She is first introduced in scripture as a barren woman (Genesis 11:30). That becomes her identity. While the enemy spent an exorbitant amount of time convincing her that she was defective, on two occasions we see her value demonstrated by how vigorously God protects her (Genesis 12:17 and Genesis 20:1-3). It is the enemy's job to get us to believe things contrary to God's plan. However, an honest survey of our lives would reveal that despite the holding patterns, God's hand is on us. If His hand is on us, then His grace extends to counter the discomfort. Both John the Baptist and Sarah teach us that our existence, testimony, and impact are too important to be forgotten by God, no matter how we started. If you feel forgotten, know that what man may not understand syncs perfectly with heaven's rhythm.