S2E18: 'Trusting God While You're Waiting’ | A Conversation with Tracy Barrell

Do you believe God can do miracles but doubt He'd do one for you? Teaching pastor Tracy Barrell joins the podcast to unpack her message "The God Who Still Does Miracles," busting three common myths about who miracles are for, and getting honest about her own two-and-a-half-year wait for healing.

✨ Key Themes

• Miracles reveal God, not us. Miracles aren't earned by the "most deserving" — they're a window into who God is: good and great, kind and capable.
• Living in the "now and not yet." We carry both resurrection hope and present suffering — it's possible to hold real faith and real disappointment at the same time.
• A delayed answer isn't a denied answer. Tracy shares her own story of healing, and of still waiting for her father's healing from Alzheimer's — modeling how to keep trusting without pretending everything's fine.

📖 Scripture References

• Psalm 103 — "Forget not all his benefits,"
• Deuteronomy 7 — God reminding Israel He chose them not for their greatness, but simply because of His own heart toward them.
• Ephesians 1 — being chosen, adopted, and planned for by God.
• Mark 1:14–15 — Jesus announcing the gospel as the arrival of God's kingdom.
• Matthew 8:2–3 / Mark 1:40–41 — the leper's declaration, "If you're willing, I know you can heal me."
• Mark 6:1–6 — Jesus unable to do many miracles in His hometown due to familiarity rather than faith.
• Luke 8:43–48 — the woman with the issue of blood, healed and restored to community.
• 2 Corinthians 12:7–9 — Paul's thorn in the flesh and God's answer, "My grace is sufficient for you."
• 1 Corinthians 15 Paul's extended teaching on the resurrection and future hope.
• John 14 — Jesus' promise not to leave us as orphans, but to send the Comforter.

📚 Resources

• "God on Mute" by Pete Greig (leader of the 24/7 Prayer movement) — recommended for anyone wrestling with unanswered prayer.

💬 Quotes

"If this is who God is and how he works, then a miracle should actually be the most natural thing." — Tracy Barrell

"It's not about us; it's about him and how good and how great he is." — Tracy Barrell

"A delayed answer is not necessarily a denied answer." — Tracy Barrell, quoting Pete Greig

"I had reduced God to just the miracle worker, and I had forgotten all his other benefits." — Tracy Barrell

🚶 Next Steps

• Read Psalm 103 and make a list of God's benefits beyond healing and breakthrough — comfort, presence, grace for today.
• If you're waiting, hold both hope and honesty. You don't have to pretend everything's fine to keep trusting God.

🔗 Links / CTA

• Find a Hillsong Australia location near you: hillsong.com/australia
• Subscribe, like, and share this episode with someone who needs encouragement today.