Pray Vigorously Until the Answer Comes
I don't know about you but, when I pray, the answer isn't always given right away. We are told, that as praying Christians, we need to take courage with delay. Rather than getting discouraged, we have to pray more persistently and with fervent faith until the answer finally comes.
That's not always easy when you desperately want help right away. One day, I pleaded with God to help me with a particular stressful situation. I cried, lamented and threw in a few good promises for incentive. Nothing came. Feeling particularly anxious, I reminded God of His promise in Luke 11:9-10. "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will open to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."
Still nothing came.
Later, I stumbled on a Christian meditation that offered a beautiful perspective on unanswered prayer. It suggested that the answer is assured if we can only pray vigorously with unwavering faith that God will answer our prayer - not necessarily giving us everything we think we want - but He will send the right answer for our spiritual well-being at the right time. God has perfect timing and knows what's best for us today and tomorrow. Our lack of faith, impatience, fears, and disbelief can get in our way.
I believed God COULD answer my prayers, I just didn't believe He WOULD necessarily take time to answer me on this one. No doubt, my lack of faith was evident. Luke 11:9-10 doesn't say "Ask and it will sometimes be given to you; seek and probably you will find; knock and maybe the door will open..." No. It very clearly states, "...to him who knocks, the door WILL BE opened."
Now, I trust that His answer is assured.
So as God builds my character in faith, especially with delay, I'm learning to thank Him in advance for the right outcome and to pray persistently until the answer comes!
