What to Expect While You are Expecting
What to Expect While You are Expecting
Have you ever obeyed God, done exactly what He asked of you, and yet… all you heard was silence?
That’s where we meet Abram in Genesis 15. God gave him a promise: “Look toward the heavens and count the stars… so shall your descendants be” (Genesis 15:5). And Abram believed and he responded in faith. Scripture even says this faith was “counted to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6). That’s a powerful statement. Obedience and belief were already in motion.
And yet, God didn’t fulfill the promise right then and there.
What came instead?
A ritual, a sacrifice, and an intense waiting. Abram was given instructions to prepare a covenant offering. He had to go gather the animals, cut them, arrange them…a lot of activity. A lot of waiting. And then came the birds of prey (Genesis 15:11): literal distractions, disturbances, interruptions. Can you relate?
You obey. You do all that God has asked. And suddenly life is full of distractions and unexpected responsibilities, spiritual attacks, mental fog, even just busy work. It all keeps you from dwelling deeply in prayer, from meditating on God’s promise.
Then, in the stillness, after all the activity, comes something even harder: “a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, terror and great darkness fell upon him” (Genesis 15:12). That’s the moment right before the promise becomes real.
That great darkness speaks to the despair that often settles in when God’s timeline stretches longer than our patience. It’s not just a passing doubt; it’s a heart-wrenching ache. “Lord, how will I know?” Abram had already asked (Genesis 15:8). God didn’t rebuke him for asking, but God also didn’t rush. God probably took His time on purpose to teach Abram a lesson for not trusting in Him.
The Lord let Abram feel the weight of the wait.
Finally, God passed through the sacrifice. Not with fanfare. Not with trumpets. But with a “smoking oven and a flaming torch” (Genesis 15:17). Hidden, mysterious, but holy. That’s the God we serve. He moves in the darkness. He seals His covenant when we can no longer hold ourselves together. He waits until we are fully dependent on His faithfulness, and not our efforts.
And that’s when the promise is confirmed: “To your descendants I have given this land…” (Genesis 15:18). Notice the change in tense. God doesn’t say, “I will give,” He says “I have given”. The promise was already reality in God’s eyes, even if it wasn’t yet visible in Abram’s.
So, what do we take from this?
Delay doesn’t mean abandonment. Sometimes, it’s preparation.
Distractions don’t disprove your obedience. Sometimes, they come because of it.
Darkness doesn’t mean defeat. It may be the very threshold of fulfillment.
If you’re in a season like Abram, faithful but feeling the darkness, be encouraged: God has not forgotten you. In fact, He may be drawing near, even now, with covenant fire in His hands.
Remember, when you wait on the Lord, the waiting is not wasted. The waiting is holy.
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Scriptures for this Bible Study taken from the New American Standard Bible (NASB), © 2025 The Lockman Foundation. Used with permission. www.Bible.com
"What to Expect While You are Expecting" is a Christian Bible Teaching presented by Second Ridge Ministries
09/05/2025 | © 2025 Second Ridge Ministries. All Rights Reserved.
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