TRUSTING GOD IN BETWEEN SPACES
Nobody talks much about the space between promise and fulfillment. We celebrate the miracle, but rarely the waiting that comes before it. Yet that in-between place is often where God does His deepest work. What if favor doesn’t rush… and what if that’s actually good news?
Scripture reminds us that God’s favor is not only needed, but also available.
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me… to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Isaiah 61:1–2 (NIV)
That declaration still matters. Especially now.
When the world feels unstable – when fear, division, and uncertainty seem louder than hope – it’s easy to wonder whether God is still active. But history shows a pattern: before the fulfillment of God’s promises, opposition intensifies and waiting stretches longer than expected. Yet God remains in control, quietly arranging both deliverance and deliverers.
Faith, after all, isn’t built on what we see, it’s built on who we trust.
An Invitation to Community
The story of Mary, the mother of Jesus, gives us a picture of how God works through willing lives. The Creator of the universe chose to enter the world as a helpless infant, fully dependent on human care. That alone tells us something powerful: God values trust, humility, and surrender more than strength or status.
Jesus could not survive without being fed, nurtured, and protected. And in that picture, we see a reflection of God’s design for His people. We are meant to be fed spiritually and to feed others in turn.
“Feed My sheep.” John 21:17 (NIV)
There’s something deeply relational about that command. God works through people. Through spiritual mothers and fathers. Through communities that nurture what He has planted.
Sometimes, in our effort to avoid extremes, we miss important lessons. Mary was not meant to be worshiped; she was meant to be learned from. She carried God’s promise before she fully understood it. She trusted God with her reputation, her future, and her body. And through her obedience, the world was changed.
God still works that way today.
Created to Carry and Deliver
At our core, we were created to be carriers of God’s purposes. To conceive, nurture, and deliver what heaven intends for earth. That calling applies whether you consider yourself deeply spiritual, cautiously curious, or still searching.
We all carry something; hopes, wounds, regrets, dreams, questions. The invitation of God is not to carry everything alone, but to allow Him to replace what weighs us down with what gives life.
Scripture describes us as fragile vessels, ordinary jars of clay, yet capable of holding extraordinary treasure. When we release our need for control, God fills the space with His strength.
In His eyes, we are not defined by failure or history. We are clothed in grace. And He continues to look for willing hearts; people humble enough to say yes to something larger than themselves.
When the Angel Spoke
When the angel spoke to Mary, the words were simple but unsettling: God has chosen you.
“Greetings, you who are highly favored. The Lord is with you.” Luke 1:28 (NIV)
Mary’s response wasn’t confidence, it was fear. And that matters. God didn’t wait for fearlessness before speaking purpose. He met her right where she was.
That’s important for anyone who has felt disqualified by age, gender, background, past mistakes, or self-doubt. God’s call is not limited by those things.
Waiting, however, is rarely easy.
What begins as excitement can turn into loneliness once the moment passes and the messenger is gone. Doubt creeps in. Others question what God has spoken. The dream feels hidden, delayed, or misunderstood.
Waiting stretches us. It disrupts our sleep. It unsettles our routines. And when timelines don’t match expectations, waiting can feel unbearable.
But God’s timing is intentional. He works in hidden places. He knows the shape and size of what He has formed within you. He knows when it is ready to be revealed.
From Nazareth to Bethlehem
It’s tempting to believe that nothing good can come from small or overlooked places, our own Nazareth moments. Limited resources. Quiet beginnings. Unimpressive circumstances.
But God isn’t searching for perfection. He’s looking for availability.
Bethlehem wasn’t glamorous, it was humble. Yet it became the birthplace of hope.
Likewise, God often delivers His greatest work in quiet, uncelebrated spaces. He wraps dreams carefully. He allows them to grow before they are seen.
Giving up is not an option once you’re this far along.
“This day is a day of distress… as when children come to the point of birth and there is no strength to deliver them.” 2 Kings 19:3 (NIV)
That cry is human and God responds to it with divine strength. He renews us while we wait. And often, the longer the wait, the deeper the capacity we gain.
You are not meant to do this alone. God sends helpers, midwives-so to speak, encouragers, companions for the journey. Even Jesus had help carrying His cross.
There Is a Process and a Promise
Mary didn’t isolate herself. She went to Elizabeth. She served someone else’s miracle while carrying her own.
“Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months.” Luke 1:56 (NIV)
Sometimes, the path to our own breakthrough includes supporting someone else’s. That service is not wasted, it’s preparation.
Even if a dream seems delayed, diminished, or lost, restoration is part of God’s nature.
“Shall I bring to the moment of birth and not give delivery?” Isaiah 66:9 (NIV)
Small beginnings still matter. Even God entered the world as a baby.
Hope grows quietly at first.
Finding Hope
As we move closer to what God is releasing, His presence becomes more tangible. Where His Spirit is present, freedom follows, freedom from fear, tradition, prejudice, and limitation.
Freedom enables us to share good news, not as obligation, but as overflow. News only becomes good when it’s shared.
Hope is where miracles begin. So wait with hope.
“May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us.” Psalm 90:17 (NIV)
If God planted something within you, He intends to bring it to completion! _____________________________________________________________________
Copyright © 2026 Paulette Reed All rights reserved.
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Scripture quotations are taken from The Passion Translation unless noted.
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