Don’t Force It — Waiting for God’s Timing

When God asks us to stop trying to 'make it happen' and trust Him to bring the promise to pass in His time.

“May the LORD repay every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the LORD delivered you into my hand today, but I would not stretch out my hand against the LORD’s anointed.” — 1 Samuel 26:23

Have you been waiting for something for a very long time? Or at least much longer than you feel is reasonable? Do you feel like you have received a promise from God, but meanwhile, nothing is happening? Have you been trying to stay patient but you've started to think that maybe God forgot about His promise? Or worse yet, that He forgot about you!?

I've certainly been there, done that, and have several of those T-shirts in various sizes and colors. Feeling like I've been put on a back shelf somewhere, forgotten, just gathering dust.

Waiting on God can be excruciating; and there are times when we begin to think that if we don't take charge and do something at least, then nothing will ever happen.

We plead with God, "What is it that you want me to do??"

But all we get in response is silence.

Sometimes the hardest thing God asks us to do is nothing.

We have prayed. We have received a promise. Perhaps we even believe we know what God intends to do—and suddenly an opportunity appears before us that seems to make it possible.

The door is wise open. The light looks green. All the circumstances seem to line up. We know we could make this thing happen. But should we?

There is an important difference between walking through a door God opens and trying to force open a door whose time has not yet come.

David Refused to Seize What God Had Promised

David had already been anointed by the prophet Samuel to become king of Israel (1 Samuel 16:13). Yet instead of immediately ascending to the throne, he entered a long and painful season of waiting.

King Saul became jealous of David and repeatedly tried to kill him. David was forced to flee into the wilderness, hiding in caves and living as a fugitive for years!

Imagine how confusing that must have seemed. David must have thought, “God, You anointed me to be king. I know this is my destiny. Why, then, am I running for my life?”

Then David was given what looked like the perfect opportunity to bring the promise to pass.  In 1 Samuel 26, David and Abishai entered Saul’s camp at night and found Saul sleeping, with his spear stuck in the ground beside his head.

Abishai saw this as divine providence:  “God has delivered your enemy into your hand this day.” — 1 Samuel 26:8

In other words: David, this is it! God has given you your opportunity. Saul is standing between you and the throne. Get rid of him, and the kingdom is yours.

But David refused. He would not take into his own hands what God had promised to place into them.

David said:

“As the LORD lives, the LORD shall strike him, or his day shall come to die, or he shall go out to battle and perish.” — 1 Samuel 26:10

What remarkable trust! David did not know how God would remove Saul. He did not know when his wilderness season would end. But he knew something more important: He did not have to make God’s promise happen by his own hand.

God had anointed him. God would establish him. God would vindicate him.

David could wait.

Sarah Could Not Wait

Sarah gives us the opposite example. God had promised Abraham descendants, but year after year passed and Sarah remained barren. Eventually, the waiting became unbearable.

So Sarah came up with a plan. She gave her Egyptian maidservant, Hagar, to Abraham, saying: “See now, the LORD has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.” — Genesis 16:2

Notice those words: “Perhaps I shall obtain…” Sarah was trying to accomplish through human effort what God had promised to accomplish by His power. And Ishmael was born.

Ishmael was not unloved or outside God's care—God heard Hagar's cry, blessed Ishmael, and promised to make him a great nation. But Ishmael was not the son through whom God had said the covenant promise would be established. Isaac would be the promised son (Genesis 17:18–21).

The angel of the LORD spoke to Hagar about her unborn son, Ishmael:

“He shall be a wild donkey of a man; his hand shall be against every man, and every man’s hand against him. And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.” — Genesis 16:12 (NKJV)

Ishmael was always in conflict with others; whereas Isaac’s name, Yitzchak, means ‘laughter’.  “Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac [Yitzchak].” — Genesis 17:19 

“And Sarah said, ‘God has made me laugh, and all who hear will laugh with me.’”

— Genesis 21:6 

This is a beautiful Hebrew word play; but also teaches us a valuable lesson. What Sarah tried to produce in her own way and timing brought strife; but what God brought forth in His appointed time brought laughter. His name was Yitzchak—Isaac—“he will laugh.” 

 Forcing something to happen outside of the will or timing of God will always cause frustration and conflict; but waiting on God to bring to pass the promise in His way and timing brings joy and laughter.

Sarah's attempt to hurry the promise also brought immediate pain into her household. Genesis tells us that conflict arose between Sarah and Hagar. 

There is a sobering lesson here: When we become impatient with God's timing, we can create an “Ishmael”—something produced by human striving rather than by waiting for God to fulfill His promise in His way.

Promise Does Not Mean Permission to Force It

We sometimes assume that if something is God's will, we must do everything possible to make it happen. But David teaches us otherwise.

Not every opportunity is an instruction from God. Not every open door is ours to walk through. And not everything we can make happen is something we should make happen.

There are times when faith acts boldly. But there are also times when faith waits quietly.

The question is not simply: “Can I make this happen?”

The better question may be:

“Is God asking me to do this—or am I trying to help Him fulfill His promise?”

Let God Be Your Vindicator

Perhaps someone has treated you unjustly. You may be tempted to defend yourself, expose them, retaliate, or manipulate circumstances so that you finally receive what you believe should be yours.

David had every reason to feel wronged. Yet he entrusted his vindication to God.

That does not mean we should remain passive in situations where action, wisdom, boundaries, or justice are necessary. Waiting on God is not the same as doing nothing out of fear.

It means refusing to strive, manipulate, retaliate, or force an outcome because we are afraid God will not come through for us.

David could spare Saul because David's confidence was not in Saul. It was in God.

There Is an Appointed Time

Scripture says:

“For the vision is yet for an appointed time… Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come.” — Habakkuk 2:3

There is an appointed time. Sometimes the delay is not denial. Sometimes God is preparing circumstances—or preparing us—for what He has promised.

David needed the wilderness before he needed the throne.  He needed to be a musician in the palace to learn its protocol before being a king. 

And Sarah needed to discover that the promised child could not be produced merely by human ability. Isaac's birth would testify that what God promises, God is able to perform.

Perhaps you are waiting for something today—a relationship, a ministry opportunity, a breakthrough, restoration, provision, healing, vindication, or the fulfillment of something God has placed deeply within your heart.

You may be tempted to push. To manipulate. To make something happen.

But perhaps God is saying: “You don't have to force it. Trust Me.”

If something truly comes from God, we do not need to compromise our integrity to obtain it. We do not need to grasp for it.

We can obey what God gives us to do today—and leave tomorrow in His hands.

Prayer

Abba, help me to trust not only in Your promises, but also in Your timing. Forgive me for the times I have tried to force doors open, manipulate circumstances, or make things happen because I became impatient and was afraid to wait.

 Give me the faith of David— trusting You to vindicate me and bring Your purposes to pass in Your way and at Your appointed time. Give me wisdom to know when You are calling me to act and when You are asking me simply to wait.

 Keep me from forcing in my own strength, my own way and my own timing, what can only rightly be brought forth by Your Spirit. In the name of Yeshua the Messiah, amen.

Reflection

Is there something in your life right now that you are trying to make happen?

Ask yourself: Am I peacefully following God's leading—or am I striving because I am afraid that if I don't make this happen, it never will?

Sometimes the greatest expression of faith is not taking matters into our own hands.

Sometimes faith simply says: “God promised. I can wait.”

Additional Reading

1 Samuel 24:1–12 — David spares Saul in the caveGenesis 16:1–16; 17:15–21 — Hagar, Ishmael, and the promised sonPsalm 37:5–7 — “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him”