God’s “delays” are on time; it might not seem that way to us, but His timing is perfect. Perhaps if we could see all the behind-the-scenes complexities linked to answering prayers, we might take on a different perspective; especially when other people’s lives are entangled.
… “You do not realize now what I am doing, but you will [fully] understand it later.”
(John 13:7 AMP)
But still in all, despite all the complicated intricacies involved, many of us are crying out for a long-awaited prayer to be answered. Even though the wait can be grueling, we shouldn’t become discouraged if our desires are aligned with God’s will and if we’re doing everything He asks us to do to the best of our abilities. Our Lord’s faithfulness will not disappoint.
God’s reasons for not answering our prayers as soon as we wish are numerous, but for now, let’s narrow the scope and consider three: 1. to mature us spiritually, 2. to stretch our faith, and 3. to allow us to learn a few lessons about ourselves.
Delays could be working for us, not against us.
It matures us spiritually-
We are drawn closer to God during trials. We learn more about His character and Who He is. His faithfulness fuels our trust in Him. Our spiritual ears become sensitive to discerning His voice as He leads and guides us. His Word becomes our lifeline as we cling to His promises, and the experiences of trailblazers of the past are invaluable.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV).
It stretches our faith-
As our trust grows in the Lord, we take more steps of faith as He guides us. We are more open to believing that He will perform supernatural acts in our lives.
For with God nothing shall be impossible (Luke 1:37 KJV).
We learn valuable lessons-
The longer we wait for our prayers to be answered, the more time we have to learn about ourselves. Trials have a way of surfacing ungodly attributes that might be lodged in our hearts, such as hate, pride, anger, and jealousy. For example, while waiting, I’ve noticed things about myself; I’m judgmental. This negative characteristic could have stayed hidden if my prayer had been answered sooner.
How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults.
(Psalm 19:12 NLT)
Delays are not denials.
God’s delays are timed perfectly; we may think He’s running late, but He’s not. God is thoroughly overseeing all aspects. The answer might not come as we had in mind, and that’s a good thing; just like His timing differs from ours, His ways and methods are better too. Nevertheless, keep seeking with hope; the answer is on the way.
© 2023
See you next time on Paulette Talks Faith.