I was just thinking about a phrase I’ve heard many times. In fact, I probably said it myself on some occasions. You might have said, “I want what I want when I want it! And I want it now!” If I had said that to my dad, he would probably have replied, “You will get it when I say you will get it! And not a minute sooner!”
I think that when it comes to our prayers to the heavenly Father, we more often than not take the same approach. After all, did not Jesus say, “If you remain in me and my words remain you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you” (John 15:7 NIV1984)? How many times have we prayed, asking for something, only to find we did not get the answer we expected?
Lord, Where are You?
When facing trials and difficulties in your life, have you ever cried out, “Lord, where are you? I need you and I need you now!” Frustration mounts each day we pray, and we still have not received our requests we made to God.
In the army, we had a saying that was used every day in some way. “Hurry up and wait!” It seemed everywhere we turned, there was another long line, whether at the mess hall, the training session, the inoculation center or another processing center. I am amazed at how much time I spend in West Little Rock waiting for a red light to turn green. It seems like it takes forever! But traffic signals are on a schedule — in their time, they will change!
Christians often find themselves at a “red light” in their prayer lives. Asking is one thing; waiting is another. And patience… well, you know about patience! When you feel that God has abandoned you, remember He is the One who keeps His promises. He has said He would never leave nor forsake His children.
Lessons from the Past
After the 12 had spied out the land of Canaan, the majority report was that the Israelites could not take the land. Only two believed that with God it was possible. Two had faith, 10 did not. As a result, the children of Israel would not enter the Promised Land in their time, but in God’s time — 40 years later.
Upon returning to Jerusalem from 70 years of Babylonian captivity, the people wanted all to be as it had been before they were exiled. It did not happen that way. But, in God’s time, they rebuilt the wall for security, and Jerusalem was once again the place they had wanted.
God Provides — In His Time
The Psalmist David wrestled with his patience. He fretted and even questioned God, much like we do today. But he made a statement revealing that God does not abandon His children; instead, He provides. “I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread” (Psalm 37:25).
Karen and I will soon have been married for 57 years. We have never been rich, but our loving and gracious Father has always provided our every need. I did not say our every want was provided, but our every need!
The things God knows we need; He provides. He already knows what we are going to ask even before we pray. So, yes, there are times God’s answer is no. But let us not blame God for our not receiving everything we want when we want it. “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with the wrong motive, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures” (James 4:3). But be sure of this, the things we need we will receive — in His time!
