If It Seems Too Good To Be True
Genesis 21:6, Sarah says, “God has made me laugh, and all who hear will laugh with me.” (NKJV)
There is a popular saying that, “If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.” For my husband, the pessimist, this saying applies to most things in life. However, as an optimist, I definitely struggle with the thought that things and people may not be as wonderful as they're promised to be.
I am sure that, whether you are an optimist, a pessimist, or even a realist, at one point or another, something or someone let you down. The cell phone that breaks the day after the extended warranty expired. The item you take to the register that somehow does not qualify for the advertised sale. The person you trusted who ended up not worthy of your trust.
When we look in Scripture, there is no shortage of people who thought that the promises of God seemed too good to be true. And Sarah, Abraham’s wife, is one of those, at least in the beginning.
To quickly recap Sarah’s story: God promised Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky, and Sarah would be the mother of nations and kings. Since Sarah was 90 years old and had been barren her whole life, her initial response to God’s promise was laughter.
Not a laugh of joy, but one of doubt, wondering if she would ever be able to hold a baby, her baby. Not a laugh of relief, but one that contained the accumulated pain of each month’s disappointment.
Yet in Hebrews 11:11, Sarah is described as a woman of faith. It says, “By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.” (NKJV)
God, in His infinite power and wisdom, fulfilled His promise. She gave birth to a son, Isaac, and in response, Sarah’s new laughter was one of restoration, triumph, and gladness.
Yes, Sarah doubted, thinking that God’s promise of a child was too good to be true. But she did not stay in that doubt. No, she looked beyond all the very real, overwhelming obstacles and instead, focused on the divine and eternal faithfulness of God.
Sarah also didn’t laugh by herself. No, she shared her joy. All who knew her would see the miraculous blessing the Lord had bestowed on her. She may have felt alone in her first laugh, but her renewed laughter included the support of others.
And even today, as I write this, I smile and laugh with her, knowing that the same God who was faithful to her is faithful to us today. It is only God who can transform our bitter and hopeless hearts into places of rest, peace, and delight, and of course, overflowing joyful laughter.
Think About It
Where have you seen God fulfill His promises in your life?
How have you responded when God promises something to you that seems unbelievable?
How have you responded when His promises don’t line up with your timing?
When did you know that God’s timing was perfect?
Reflection:
Another popular saying is “Fake it ‘til you make it.” For many, this means pasting a smile on their faces to hide what is really going on in their hearts and minds. For some, like Sarah, it can be a way to hide profound sorrow from constant disappointment and pain, fearful of having hope. For others, it is because the burdens of daily life wear them down, and they have no one to walk alongside them, doubting they can trust others.
There is yet another saying, “I can’t decide if I want to smile, scream, or cry.” As I was praying over the life of Sarah and her two moments of laughter, I thought about how there were probably many times she felt this way as well. Yet, for her, and for us, we can go to God with all our smiles, screams, and cries.
We can smile because God is the giver of joy. We can scream, knowing that there is no pain that God can’t handle. And we can cry out to God, knowing He is near, even when we don’t feel His presence. We can do all these because God is faithful and loves us fully.
Pray About It
Dear Lord,
You have given us emotions and the ability to feel deeply - whether those feelings are doubt, fear, and anger, or joy, gratitude, and love. Thank you, Father, that you don’t shy away from our emotions and that our faithfulness is not hindered because of the things we feel. Lord, you alone can turn pain to joy and doubt to faith, as you did for Sarah. Thank you for your power in our lives, the same power that made a woman in her 90s give birth to a nation. Father, help us trust in You and, with each day, lean more into Your safety and peace.
Amen