Waiting on God’s Timing: Lessons from the Life of Abraham

The Silence Between the Promise and the Fulfillment

Examining Abraham's life reveals a man who learned patience. Abram was 86 when Hagar had Ishmael (Genesis 16:16), but he had to wait 14 more years until God reconnected with him at ninety-nine (Genesis 17:1). What lessons did Abram gain during this waiting time? Here’s the passage:

¹When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. ²Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.” ³Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, ⁴“As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. ⁵No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. ⁶I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you (Genesis 17:1-6).

Why do you think God made Abram wait so long? What kind of work does God do in a person by making them wait? Some of my most valuable lessons have emerged during times of waiting. God’s most profound preparation occurs in His servants during these periods. The prophet Isaiah illustrates this process by describing the preparation of a servant of the Lord:

 

The Quiver Principle: Why God Hides His Servants

Before I was born the LORD called me; from my mother’s womb he has spoken my name. ²He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver (Isaiah 49:1-2; emphasis added).

Every servant of the Lord Jesus, called to play a vital role in God's Kingdom, experiences a period of preparation, which Scripture likens to crafting an arrow. First, there is a personal calling (v. 1). Second, part of their training includes preparing, cleansing, or refining what they speak (v. 2). Third, they are brought into an intimate relationship with the Lord under the shadow of God's hand (v. 2). Fourth, the polishing of their character represents the daily lessons that sharpen us. Lastly, there is concealment in the quiver. During this phase of their training and preparation, a man or woman of God should refrain from anything "seen" by the world, at least for a while. Their calling is to engage in hidden ministry, waiting for God's timing to draw from the quiver and release into ministry from the Lord's bow.

The Greater the Task, the Longer the Training

Think of Moses in the desert, waiting forty years while he shepherded his father-in-law’s sheep in the wilderness of Midian. God made him wait until he was eighty before the Lord used him to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt. He had to endure the hiddenness and waiting of the quiver! Imagine how hard it was for him to be raised in Pharaoh’s household, trained in Egypt’s best schools, and then seemingly do nothing of value while he shepherded his father-in-law’s sheep for 40 years in the desert. Think of Abram waiting all those years for God to do the impossible, enabling the couple to bring forth a son from the barren womb of Sarah. Think also of Jesus working in the concealment of the quiver in Joseph's woodshop until He was around 30 years old (Luke 3:23). Why does God make a servant wait so long? The greater the task, the greater the training. It is hard to wait for God’s timing, but it is part of the Lord’s school.

Application: How to Lean into Your "Quiver" Season

If you feel like you are currently "concealed in the quiver," here are three ways to respond:

1. Audit Your "Polishing": Instead of asking, "When will this end?" ask, "What character trait is being polished right now?" Is it patience? Humility? Financial trust? Identify the "grit" and thank God for the sharpening.

2. Embrace Hidden Ministry: Moses shepherded sheep; Jesus worked with wood. Don't wait for a stage to serve. Find a "hidden" way to be faithful this week—help a neighbor, pray in private, or serve without seeking credit.

3. Surrender the Timeline: Abraham tried to "help" God with Ishmael, which led to complications. Write down the thing you are most anxious about today and literally say out loud: "Lord, I trust Your bow and Your timing. I am content to stay in the quiver until You are ready to shoot." Keith Thomas

Continue Your Journey…

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The more in-depth study notes on this topic are at the link following: 4. Abraham, An Everlasting Covenant