Faith's Journey: Trusting God Through Waiting and Struggle

Today’s focus is on the journey of faith between God’s promise and its fulfillment—a journey often marked by waiting, struggle, and the formation of character. Looking at the story of Isaac and Rebekah in Genesis 25, we see that even when we are walking in obedience and living under God’s promises, we may still find ourselves in seasons of waiting and uncertainty. Isaac and Rebekah, though chosen to carry forward God’s covenant, faced 20 years of infertility. This was not a sign of God’s absence or displeasure, but rather a season where God was working in them, preparing them for what was to come.

God’s faithfulness is highlighted through the story of Ishmael as well. Even when human plans go awry, God keeps His word. Ishmael, though not the child of promise, still received God’s blessing and became the father of a great people, just as God had promised. This reminds us that God’s promises are sure, even when the path is unexpected or the outcome is different than we imagined.

The waiting period is not wasted time. It is a place where God forms us, deepens our faith, and develops our character. Like Isaac, who prayed persistently for 20 years, we are called to seek God, trust Him, and remain faithful even when the answer seems out of reach. The struggle and tension of waiting are not signs of failure, but opportunities for God to do a deeper work in us.

When the answer finally comes, it may bring new challenges, as Rebekah discovered with the tumultuous pregnancy of twins. Yet, even in the struggle, God is at work, revealing that His plans are bigger than our immediate circumstances. The question shifts from “Why is this happening to me?” to “God, what are you doing in me?” Through suffering, pruning, and even confusion, God is shaping us for greater fruitfulness and preparing us to be a blessing to others.

Ultimately, the call is to trust God’s timeline, surrender our need to understand, and allow Him to work in us as He leads us toward the fulfillment of His promises. The journey may leave us just out of reach of the answer, but it is in that place that God does His greatest work.

---

Key Takeaways

• 1. God’s Promises Are Unfailing, Even When the Path Is Unexpected The story of Ishmael demonstrates that God keeps His word, even when human decisions complicate the journey. God’s faithfulness is not limited by our mistakes or detours; His promises endure and are fulfilled in His way and time. This should give us confidence to trust Him, even when the outcome looks different than we expected. [31:17]
• 2. Waiting Is a Crucible for Spiritual Formation The gap between promise and fulfillment is not a void, but a place where God forms our character and deepens our dependence on Him. Isaac and Rebekah’s 20 years of waiting were not wasted; they were years where God was preparing them for the promise. In our own seasons of waiting, God is often doing a hidden work in us that is essential for what He wants to do through us. [41:14]
• 3. God’s Silence Is Not His Absence In the tension of waiting, it’s easy to mistake God’s silence for abandonment. Yet, God is sovereign and present, even when we don’t see immediate answers. The challenge is to remain faithful, to keep praying, and to trust that God is working behind the scenes, orchestrating things for our good and His glory. [43:12]
• 4. Struggle Often Precedes Revelation When the answer finally comes, it may bring new challenges or even more questions. Rebekah’s pregnancy brought unexpected turmoil, but it was in her struggle that God revealed a greater purpose at work. Our struggles can be the very place where God gives us new insight, shapes our testimony, and prepares us to comfort and help others. [53:51]
• 5. The Right Question Is “God, What Are You Doing in Me?” Instead of asking “Why is this happening to me?”, the more fruitful question is “God, what are you doing in me through this?” This shift in perspective opens us to God’s transformative work, whether it’s pruning away selfishness, building endurance, or preparing us to be a source of comfort to others. The waiting and struggle are not just about the outcome, but about who we are becoming in the process.
  
  ** [54:56]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [01:10] - Connecting with New Hope: App & Opportunities
• [03:30] - Upcoming Events: Baptism Sunday & Outreach
• [06:45] - Haircuts and Hot Dogs: Serving Our Community
• [10:30] - Introduction to Genesis 25: Passing on the Promise
• [13:20] - Abraham’s Legacy: Spiritual Inheritance
• [16:40] - The Story of Ishmael: God’s Faithfulness
• [25:18] - God Keeps His Word: Lessons from Ishmael
• [31:17] - God Works Through Waiting
• [35:04] - Isaac and Rebekah: The Tension of Not Yet
• [38:24] - 20 Years of Waiting: The Purpose of Delay
• [41:14] - Formation in the Waiting
• [43:12] - Trusting God’s Sovereignty in Uncertainty
• [49:17] - Honest Prayers in the Struggle
• [51:54] - God’s Revelation in Our Struggle
• [54:56] - Pruning, Character, and Testimony
• [58:08] - Hearing God’s Voice in Adversity
• [58:57] - Practical Steps for the Journey
• [61:00] - Closing Prayer and Commitment

Bible Study Discussion Guide

---

Bible Reading

Genesis 25:19-26 (ESV)
> 19 These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham fathered Isaac, 20 and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife. 21 And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. And the Lord granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. 23 And the Lord said to her,
>
> “Two nations are in your womb,
> and two peoples from within you shall be divided;
> the one shall be stronger than the other,
> the older shall serve the younger.”
>
> 24 When her days to give birth were completed, behold, there were twins in her womb. 25 The first came out red, all his body like a hairy cloak, so they called his name Esau. 26 Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding Esau’s heel, so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

Genesis 16:10 (ESV)
> The angel of the Lord also said to her, “I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude.”

Romans 5:3-5 (ESV)
> 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

---

Observation Questions

1. How long did Isaac and Rebekah wait for God’s promise of a child to be fulfilled, and what did Isaac do during that time? ([39:21])
2. What was God’s response to Rebekah when she asked, “Why is this happening to me?” during her difficult pregnancy? ([51:54])
3. According to Genesis 16:10, what promise did God make to Hagar about Ishmael, and how was this fulfilled in Genesis 25? ([33:37])
4. In Romans 5:3-5, what does Paul say suffering produces in the life of a believer?

---

Interpretation Questions

1. What does the 20-year wait for a child reveal about the nature of God’s promises and the way He works in our lives? ([40:24])
2. Why might God allow seasons of waiting or struggle, even when we are walking in obedience and faithfulness? ([41:14])
3. How does God’s answer to Rebekah’s prayer shift her perspective from her immediate struggle to a bigger picture? ([51:54])
4. According to Romans 5:3-5, how can suffering and waiting actually benefit our spiritual growth and character?

---

Application Questions

1. Can you think of a time in your life when you felt “stuck” or like you were waiting for God to answer a prayer? How did you respond during that season? Did you keep praying like Isaac, or did you try to “fix” things yourself? ([42:11])
2. The sermon said, “Don’t confuse God’s silence with God’s absence.” When have you felt like God was silent? What helped you keep trusting Him in that time? ([43:12])
3. Rebekah’s honest question was, “Why is this happening to me?” The pastor suggested a better question is, “God, what are you doing in me through this?” How might asking this question change the way you view your current struggles? ([53:51])
4. The story of Ishmael shows that God keeps His promises, even when human plans go off track. Is there a promise from God’s Word you need to hold onto right now, even if the outcome looks different than you expected? ([33:37])
5. The sermon talked about God using waiting and struggle to “prune” us and develop our character. Is there an area in your life where you sense God is trying to prune something away or build something new in you? ([54:56])
6. Romans 5:3-5 says suffering produces endurance, character, and hope. How have you seen this play out in your own life, or in the life of someone you know?
7. The pastor encouraged us to surrender our need to understand and trust God’s timeline. What is one practical step you can take this week to surrender control and trust God more fully with something you’re waiting for? ([58:57])

---