When Promise have not yet been fulfilled
There is a season that often feels the most challenging in the journey of faith: the “In Between” season—when we have already received God’s promise, but have not yet seen its fulfillment. This season is often filled with questions, long waiting, and even the temptation to give up. Yet it is precisely in this season that God often does His deepest work.
Look at Abraham. He received the promise of a son, but had to wait for decades before Isaac was born. Joseph received dreams about his future, but first had to go through the pit, slavery, and prison. David had been anointed as king, yet for years he lived as a fugitive. Hannah waited for a child with tears and unceasing prayer.
In each of these stories, God was not only preparing the fulfillment of the promise, but also shaping people who would be able to carry it. The “In Between” season is not merely a time of waiting. It is a season to know the heart of God more deeply. Often, we focus on when the promise will be fulfilled, while God is asking, “Will you still love Me even when you have not yet seen its fulfillment?”
Waiting becomes the place where faith is purified, character is formed, and intimacy with God is deepened. Therefore, prayer in the “In Between” season needs to be more than just a request for circumstances to change. Pray, “Lord, teach me to see what You are doing. Shape my character. Reveal any area of my life that needs to be aligned with Your will. Give me a heart that continues to trust, even when I have not yet seen.”
Besides praying, learn to record every word, impression, and evidence of God’s presence throughout the waiting process. Give thanks for every small step God is working on, remain faithful in carrying out the responsibilities right in front of you, and do not stop worshiping. Waiting that is lived with God is never wasted time.
Prayer may not always immediately change the situation, but prayer always changes the heart of the one who prays. As we continue to seek the face of God, the Holy Spirit strengthens our hearts, renews our hope, and reminds us that God Himself is far greater than our waiting. We learn to trust His character before we see His work.
If today you are in an “In Between” season, do not merely wait for God’s promise—pursue God’s heart. Because often, the greatest gift of the waiting season is not the fulfillment of the promise itself, but the closeness with the Father that we find during the process. And when the time comes, we will realize that God has not only fulfilled His promise, but has also shaped us into people who are becoming more like Christ.
“I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD!”
(Psalm 27:13–14 NIV)
Source: Ps. Dave Rustanto (Global Prayer Director)
