EquipHer Vol. 41: “Lead Me” vs. “Approve Me”Sample

Day 1 — The Waiting

Have you ever started questioning God —not because you stopped believing Him, but because the waiting began to feel too long?

Scripture tells the story of Sarah, a woman who received a promise from God, yet lived for years without seeing it fulfilled. God told her husband, Abraham, that he would become the father of many, of a multitude (Genesis 13:16; Genesis 15:5; Genesis 17:4–5), even though Sarah was barren and well past the age where motherhood felt realistic.

God had spoken clearly, yet nothing in Sarah’s situation seemed to move in the direction of that promise, and her days quickly turned into years. The promise remains unchanged, but her circumstances do not.

In Genesis 15:2–3, we begin to sense the tension that lies beneath the waiting for the promise when Abraham says to God, “Sovereign Lord, what can You give me since I remain childless?” and then adds, “You have given me no children” (NIV). Sarah also tries to make sense of the gap of time between the promise she received and the reality she was living, by saying to Abraham, “The Lord has kept me from having children” (Genesis 16:1–2, NIV).

Their response is an honest expression of living with a promise that has not yet taken form. They are not rejecting God’s word. They are trying to interpret His silence, doing what many of us do in waiting seasons—attempting to make sense of delay. God has said what He will do, but He has not explained how or when.

When the waiting season stretches, alternative conclusions begin to form in our minds. We quietly wrestle with trusting that He will act. This tension is a strong indicator that our trust is being tested.

For a woman who leads, builds, and carries responsibility, waiting can feel especially costly. When progress slows or results delay, the pressure to take control, accelerate timelines, or “fix” what feels stuck becomes even stronger and, as a result, we start searching for ways to move things forward on our own terms.

This is the soil where alternative solutions grow. Not because we have stopped believing, but because waiting confronts us with who is really in control. And when we struggle to release that control to God, we begin making decisions He never asked us to make.

Prayer: Lord, help me recognize when waiting is shaping my decisions more than trust. Teach me to hold Your promise without rushing to interpret Your timing. I want to trust not only that You can—but that You will. Amen.