Is Anything Too Hard for the Lord?

In the study of Genesis through Becoming a Faithful Friend of God, the life of Sarah offers a powerful reminder that God’s promises are never limited by human impossibility. When God reaffirmed His promise that she would bear a son, Sarah was already far beyond childbearing years. Having lived with the pain and disappointment of barrenness for many years, she struggled to imagine that such a promise could still come to pass. When she overheard the Lord speaking to Abraham about her future son, she laughed quietly to herself. Her laughter was not the laughter of joy but of disbelief—an honest reflection of how impossible God’s promise seemed from a human perspective. Yet the Lord responded with a profound question that echoes through Scripture and into our lives today: “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (Genesis 18:14).

Sarah’s story feels surprisingly familiar to many women today. Like Sarah, we too face situations that seem delayed, broken, or beyond hope. We may have prayed for years about certain matters—family relationships, health, children, ministry, finances, or unanswered dreams. When nothing seems to change, doubt quietly creeps into our hearts. Did we too question God’s ability or capability? Did we also laugh inwardly at the thought that God could turn our impossible situation around?

Sarah once tried to solve her problem by her own wisdom. In her impatience with waiting, she gave her servant Hagar to Abraham, resulting in the birth of Ishmael. It was a human solution to a divine promise. Yet that decision brought tension, pain, and lasting consequences within the family. How often do we do the same? Instead of trusting God’s timing, we take matters into our own hands. We do things our way, convinced that we must “help God out.” When things unravel, we may even question why God allowed the situation or wonder if He has failed us. In truth, like Sarah, we sometimes create our own complications when we step ahead of God.

And yet, Sarah’s story is not only about doubt; it is also about God’s faithfulness despite human weakness. God never withdrew His promise. He remained committed to His covenant with Abraham and Sarah. Even when Sarah found herself in vulnerable situations—when she was taken into the households of kings such as Abimelech and earlier by Pharaoh—God intervened and protected her. She may not always have acted perfectly, but God’s sovereign hand still guarded His purposes for her life. If God could protect and preserve Sarah in such circumstances, would He not also watch over us today?

This raises a sobering yet hopeful reflection for women in our present time. Do we sometimes respond to our circumstances with unbelieving laughter, quietly mocking the possibility that God could truly intervene? Do we look at our age, our limitations, our past mistakes, or our complicated situations and conclude that it is simply too late? God’s question to Sarah gently confronts these thoughts: Is anything too hard for the Lord?

In time, the promise was fulfilled with the birth of Isaac, whose name means “laughter.” The laughter that once expressed disbelief was transformed into laughter of joy and wonder. What seemed impossible became a testimony of God’s power.

Sarah’s journey reminds us that God does not require perfect faith; He calls us to trust Him even when faith feels small. Our doubts, missteps, and impatience do not cancel His promises. Instead, they become part of the story through which God reveals His faithfulness. For every woman who has waited, questioned, struggled, or even laughed in disbelief, God’s question still stands: Is anything too hard for the Lord? When we remember who He is—the faithful, covenant-keeping God—we are reminded that no situation, no delay, and no human failure is beyond His power to redeem.

Article by Jennifer Tan

President of the National Board

Aglow International Singapore

Inspired by the Precept Upon Precept Bible Study Becoming a Faithful Friend of God.