Sometimes, Never, Always.
There are things God sometimes does, things He never does, and things He always does. Learning the difference may be one of the quieter tasks of a mature faith.
Living in the Land Between
There are seasons when what was is already gone, but what will be has not yet arrived. The wilderness may not simply be the space between must cross to reach the promise. Perhaps it is part of the promise, because it is where God forms the person who will eventually enter it.