Faith in God's Timing: Embracing the Waiting Room

 

Summary

In life, one of the most challenging experiences is waiting in God's waiting room. This is a place where we find ourselves when we are waiting for something beyond our control, such as an answer to prayer or a change in circumstances. Ecclesiastes 3:11 reminds us that God does everything just right and on time, even though we may not understand His timing. The story of Abraham is a powerful example of waiting on God. Abraham was given a promise that he would have a child who would become a great nation, yet he had to wait 100 years for this promise to be fulfilled.

The journey of faith involves six phases: dream, decision, delay, difficulty, dead end, and deliverance. God gives us a dream, and we must make a decision to act on it. However, there is often a delay between the dream and its fulfillment, during which God grows and builds us. Abraham experienced this delay for 11 years before facing difficulties that tested his faith. At the age of 99, he still had no son, yet he continued to trust God. Eventually, God fulfilled His promise, and Abraham and Sarah had a son, Isaac.

The most challenging phase is the dead end, where God allows our dreams to seemingly die. Abraham faced this when God asked him to sacrifice Isaac. Despite feeling hopeless, Abraham trusted God, believing that God could raise Isaac from the dead. This ultimate test of faith teaches us to rely on God's promises and remember what He can do. Faith is not about denying reality but facing the facts with trust in God's power.

In times of waiting, we must focus on what God can do, not on our limitations. Romans 4:17 tells us that God gives life to the dead and creates something out of nothing. We must rely on God's promises, as Abraham did, and face the facts in faith. God has not promised to remove all our pain, but He has promised to give us strength and ultimately deliver us to heaven. Jesus Christ is our Savior and Deliverer, offering us the best hope beyond mere positive thinking.

Key Takeaways:

- Understanding the Phases of Faith: Life's journey of faith involves six phases: dream, decision, delay, difficulty, dead end, and deliverance. Each phase is a step in God's process to grow and build our faith, as seen in Abraham's story. Recognizing these phases helps us remain patient and faithful during times of waiting. [06:23]

- Trusting in God's Timing: God's timing is perfect, even when it seems delayed. Abraham waited 100 years for God's promise to be fulfilled, teaching us that delays are part of God's plan to prepare us for His promises. Trusting in God's timing requires patience and faith. [02:26]

- Facing Dead Ends with Faith: Dead ends are moments when our dreams seem to die, yet they are opportunities for God to perform miracles. Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Isaac demonstrates the ultimate test of faith, trusting that God can resurrect what seems lost. [05:54]

- Relying on God's Promises: In times of doubt and delay, we must rely on God's promises. Abraham's faith was rooted in God's word, reminding us that hope in faith is not wishful thinking but a steadfast trust in God's promises. [10:09]

- Faith Over Positive Thinking: Faith is not about denying reality or relying on positive thinking. It is about facing the facts with trust in God's power to change circumstances beyond our control. True faith acknowledges reality while trusting in God's ability to deliver. [16:13]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:11] - God's Waiting Room
- [00:43] - Abraham's Journey of Faith
- [01:15] - The Six Phases of Faith
- [02:26] - The Delay Phase
- [03:09] - Facing Difficulties
- [04:42] - The Dead End Phase
- [05:54] - Deliverance and Miracles
- [06:37] - Recognizing Your Phase
- [07:06] - Remembering God's Power
- [08:21] - Faith vs. Positive Thinking
- [09:53] - The Need for Faith in God
- [10:09] - Relying on God's Promises
- [12:28] - Abraham's Test of Faith
- [15:12] - Facing Facts with Faith

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Ecclesiastes 3:11
2. Romans 4:17-18
3. Hebrews 11:19

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Observation Questions:

1. According to Ecclesiastes 3:11, how does the Bible describe God's timing, and why might it be difficult for people to understand? [00:30]

2. In the sermon, what are the six phases of faith that Abraham experienced, and how did they contribute to his spiritual growth? [01:15]

3. How did Abraham demonstrate his faith when faced with the dead end of being asked to sacrifice Isaac? [04:42]

4. What does Romans 4:17 say about God's power, and how does this relate to the concept of miracles? [07:06]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How might understanding the six phases of faith help someone remain patient and faithful during times of waiting? [06:23]

2. What does it mean to trust in God's timing, and how can this trust impact a person's response to delays in their life? [02:26]

3. In what ways can facing a dead end be an opportunity for God to perform miracles, as seen in Abraham's story? [05:54]

4. How does relying on God's promises differ from relying on positive thinking, and why is this distinction important for a believer's faith journey? [09:53]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you were in "God's waiting room." How did you respond, and what might you do differently now with the understanding of the six phases of faith? [00:11]

2. Are there areas in your life where you struggle to trust God's timing? What steps can you take to cultivate patience and faith in those areas? [02:26]

3. Think of a situation in your life that feels like a dead end. How can you shift your focus from your limitations to what God can do? [05:12]

4. How can you actively rely on God's promises in your daily life, especially during times of doubt and delay? [10:09]

5. Identify a specific challenge you are facing. How can you face the facts of this challenge with faith, rather than denial or discouragement? [16:13]

6. Consider a dream or goal you have. Are you willing to offer it to God, even if it means sacrificing it? What does this reveal about your faith? [13:22]

7. How can you incorporate the practice of remembering what God can do into your daily routine, especially when facing difficult situations? [07:06]

Devotional

Day 1: Recognizing the Phases of Faith
In the journey of faith, understanding the phases we go through can provide clarity and strength. Life's journey of faith involves six phases: dream, decision, delay, difficulty, dead end, and deliverance. Each phase is a step in God's process to grow and build our faith, as seen in Abraham's story. Recognizing these phases helps us remain patient and faithful during times of waiting. Abraham's journey exemplifies this process, as he navigated through each phase with trust in God's promises. By identifying where we are in this journey, we can better align ourselves with God's work in our lives. [06:23]

Isaiah 40:31 (ESV): "But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."

Reflection: Which phase of faith do you find yourself in today, and how can you seek God's guidance to navigate it with patience and trust?


Day 2: Trusting in God's Perfect Timing
God's timing is perfect, even when it seems delayed. Abraham waited 100 years for God's promise to be fulfilled, teaching us that delays are part of God's plan to prepare us for His promises. Trusting in God's timing requires patience and faith, as His plans are often beyond our understanding. During these times, it is crucial to remember that God is never late; He is always on time, working behind the scenes for our good. By trusting in His timing, we can find peace and assurance in the waiting. [02:26]

Habakkuk 2:3 (ESV): "For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you struggle to trust God's timing, and how can you practice patience and faith in this area today?


Day 3: Embracing Dead Ends as Opportunities for Faith
Dead ends are moments when our dreams seem to die, yet they are opportunities for God to perform miracles. Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Isaac demonstrates the ultimate test of faith, trusting that God can resurrect what seems lost. These moments challenge us to rely on God's power rather than our understanding. By embracing dead ends with faith, we open ourselves to witnessing God's miraculous work in our lives, transforming what seems impossible into a testament of His glory. [05:54]

2 Corinthians 1:9 (ESV): "Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead."

Reflection: Think of a situation in your life that feels like a dead end. How can you shift your perspective to see it as an opportunity for God to work a miracle?


Day 4: Relying on God's Promises in Times of Doubt
In times of doubt and delay, we must rely on God's promises. Abraham's faith was rooted in God's word, reminding us that hope in faith is not wishful thinking but a steadfast trust in God's promises. When circumstances challenge our faith, we can find strength in the assurance that God's word is true and His promises are unfailing. By anchoring our hope in His promises, we can navigate life's uncertainties with confidence and peace. [10:09]

Numbers 23:19 (ESV): "God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?"

Reflection: What is one promise from God that you need to hold onto today, and how can it strengthen your faith in a current challenge?


Day 5: Faith Beyond Positive Thinking
Faith is not about denying reality or relying on positive thinking. It is about facing the facts with trust in God's power to change circumstances beyond our control. True faith acknowledges reality while trusting in God's ability to deliver. This perspective allows us to confront life's challenges with courage, knowing that God's power is greater than any obstacle we face. By cultivating a faith that goes beyond mere optimism, we can experience the transformative power of God's presence in our lives. [16:13]

2 Corinthians 4:18 (ESV): "As we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

Reflection: How can you practice facing a current challenge with faith in God's power rather than relying solely on positive thinking?

Quotes

"one of the most difficult things in life is to sit in God's waiting room God's waiting room is when there's something beyond your control that you can't speed up an answer to prayer a miracle a change in a situation and you want it to change but it is totally out of your control and you have to wait on God the Bible says in Ecclesiastes 3:11 God does everything just right and on time but PE people can never completely understand what he's doing boy is that the truth" [00:03:55]

"God always takes you through a predictable phase and stages of Faith but let's just review it this morning how God always works in your life the first phase of faith is when God gives you a dream an idea an ambition a goal God gives you a dream and at age 75 God gave Abraham a dream he said I'm going to make you into a great nation but that's just the start phase two is a decision and a decision is when you decide to act on that dream a dream without a decision is worthless" [00:01:15]

"delay because the dream is never fulfilled and stantly when God gives you an idea of what he wants to do with your life and when he actually fulfills it there is always a Time Gap because he wants to grow you he wants to build you up 11 years after God gave Abraham his dream Abraham still didn't have a child and when he's 86 it says but Sarah still had not born any children what's happened in those 11 years the answer is nothing he was just waiting on God" [00:02:26]

"God not only lets you wait for a while but while you wait he lets you have some problems isn't that fun and so you go through the stage of difficulty where things go from bad to really bad to worse to Impossible and you notice at age 99 Abraham still didn't have a son he's 99 his wife Sarah's is 89 and uh he still it says how can a son be born to a man my age now what's worse is that God changed Abraham's name his name originally was Abram and God changed his name to Abraham" [00:03:09]

"the most difficult phase of faith of all number five dead end and at dead end God allows your dream to seemingly die Abraham was asked to give up the miracle child God says I want you to sacrifice him back to me now get this Abraham wakes 100 years gets a baby he starts to grow up and God Says by the way now I want you to give him back to me I want you to sacrifice him to me Abraham's thinking what kind of God is this is this a cruel joke" [00:04:42]

"the greater the Dead end the more hopeless the situation the greater the Deliverance is going to be the more of a miracle it'll be you go wow that was God only God could have done that and so God is getting you ready for a miracle the miracle of Deliverance now everybody in this room God's going to take you through these six phases of faith many many times in your life over and over again you'll go from dream to decision to delay to difficulty to de in to deliverance" [00:05:54]

"remember what God can do remember what God can do the situation may be out of your control but it's not out of God's control so you don't focus on what you can't do you focus on what God can do what can God do well look at this verse Romans 4:17 read it with me Abraham believed in God who gives life to the dead and who creates something out of nothing folks that ver verse right there is the definition of a miracle so write the word miracle out to the side" [00:07:06]

"he believed that God would raise him from the dead Hebrews 1119 second when he's telling his servant we're going up the hill to make the sacrifice he says we'll be back not I'll be back but we'll be back he fully intended the son to come back with him and third when his little boy Isaac is walking up the hill with him and he says daddy where's the lamb we're going to sacrifice Abraham says the Lord will provide he had every intention and no doubt that God was going to spare his son" [00:12:28]

"though it seemed Abraham's hope could not be fulfilled he did become the father of many nations exactly as God had promised notice the word seemed things are never as Bleak as they seem if you look at them from God's point of view the disciples followed Jesus around for three years and they thought he was going to bring in the kingdom and set up the kingdom they'd all be rulers and one day they look up and Jesus is hanging on the cross and he's dead you talk about a dead end" [00:15:12]

"without weakening in his faith he that's Abraham faced the fact that his body was as good as dead and Sarah's womb was also dead he's being pretty blunt here yet he didn't waver with unbelief God's word translation says through faith he regarded the facts Abraham recognizes that he and his wife are Beyond childbearing years he's 99 his wife is 89 and it is a medical impossibility that they're going to have children now he doesn't deny the facts he faces them with faith" [00:17:12]

"faith does not ignore reality Faith does not pretend you don't have a problem Faith does not act like it's no difficulty faith is not denial please hear that because a lot of people think it is let me give you a definition of faith faith is facing the facts in your life without being discouraged by them that's Faith it's not denying you have problems it's not denying you have difficulties it's not denying you're facing a dead end or hopeless situation from a human standpoint" [00:18:36]

"God has not promised to take away all your pain God has not promised proed that all your loved ones are going to live for as long as you want them to live God has not promised that you will not have any difficulties that you will never have any dead ends never have any delays he is not promised to take away all your pain he has promised to give you the strength to handle it and he has promised that one day ultimately he will deliver you to heaven where there is no sorrow no suffering" [00:21:35]

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Transcript
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