It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. (Lamentations 3:26)
It is possible to pray for some good thing in a good way, according to God’s Word and with a sincere heart and yet miss out on the blessing because we are not willing to wait for the Lord to answer our request in His way and in His time.
We must never forget that in prayer, we are addressing a sovereign King who is all-wise, all-powerful and all-loving. He knows our needs infinitely better than we do, is able to provide for them in the way that is best, and as a loving Father, will not withhold any good thing to His children (see Psa 84:11,12).
Because we are ‘time-bound’ creatures, we see our situation in a limited sense, and therefore are often impatient with the Lord in our asking. But God operates on an infinitely broader scale. His purposes span from eternity to eternity and He is working out all things after the counsel of His will.
The Lord has many reasons to delay an answer to prayer: there may need to be situations unknown to us that need to be dealt with, people whose hearts need to be changed, character in us to be formed, and our faith to be strengthened. These all demand that we learn the humble position of ‘waiting upon the Lord”.
Rather than see a delay in prayer being answered as a reason to question or doubt the goodness of God, let us remember that He says it is good for us to “both hope and quietly wait” for His answer.
Remember how often we have made Him wait for us! We have not always immediately obeyed some command, cut off some favoured sin, responded to His Spirit’s gentle pleadings nor heeded His Word’s divine counsel. Think of how many years were spent in sin resisting His gospel call until the Holy Spirit Himself opened our heart’s door and the Saviour entered in.
Should we now colour God in dark tones because He waits to answer our prayer, not because He does not love us, but because He does and would answer us in the time and way that brings the greatest blessing to us?
Do not grow impatient in petitioning the Lord. “Let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting (lacking) nothing” (Jam 1:4). God is at work even if we do not see it immediately. We have need of patience and if the answer takes longer than we wish for, know that it is only for our good and ultimately for His glory.
This also should remind us that we are not to limit God as to when and how He will answer our petitions. God has His way to accomplish His purpose. That answer may come from an entirely different direction and source than we had imagined, but it will come in the time and manner that will be good; good for your soul and good for your situation, because it comes from God who is good.
~ J.E.T.