God has a way of taking our moments of doubt and our failings and turning them around. When the three men visited with Abraham, Sarah overheard that she would have a son within the year (Genesis 18:10). The couple had waited 25 years for this promise. Instead of celebrating and worshipping God, Sarah laughed to herself (Genesis 18:12). When she was confronted for laughing, she denied it out of fear (Genesis 18: 15). But within the year, Sarah would find out that nothing is impossible for the Lord (Genesis 18:14).

By Genesis 21, the Lord had fulfilled His promise to Sarah; she became pregnant and had a son at the appointed time (vv. 1–2). The couple named their son Isaac, which means “laughter.” Sarah declared that God had made her laugh and everyone who heard would laugh with her (v. 6). God truly turned Sarah’s skeptical laughter into joyful laughter. Surely every time Sarah called her son to dinner or introduced him to others, she was reminded of how God turned her doubts upside down.

• How have you experienced God’s kindness and grace when you were doubtful or disobedient?