God's Delays

In these 40 days of prayer and fasting that we are in as we do Freeda Bower's "Give Me 40 Days", have you ever felt like giving up ? Have you ever wondered why God is so slow (like the snail) in answering our prayers ? Why is He so slow in showing up ? What is wrong ? Waiting is very hard for most of us and I am also one who wants answers now. I'm stretched by God's delays, wondering why and by when, always asking : "How long more, O Lord ?" If you are in the same predicament, welcome to the club !

These 40 days as we venture into Freeda Bowers' book and discipline ourselves to pray for others and not for our own needs, the Lord has really caused such a shift in my whole attitude towards waiting upon Him in prayer. We often pray and treat God like an ATM where the answers comes out almost instantly ! Our attitude should be like that of the prophet Habakkuk who wanted answers as well. He started off in Habakkuk 1 : 2 by asking : "How long, O LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, "Violence!" but you do not save?".

However in Chapter 2, Habakkuk's attitude changed even as he declared : "1 I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint." "2 Then the LORD replied: "Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. 3 For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay."

Faith never gives up and despite the long delay, God is still at work because we are sure that as we put our faith in Him, He will come through for us. Madame Guyon wrote : "Each delay is perfectly fine, for we are within the safe hands of God." We are to learn that each delay as if it were "perfectly timed and it will be fine". Postponements are reasons to pray more rather than grow anxious, impatient and angry with God and our situation.

So, take heart and persevere on my friend in these 40 days and beyond. If God's answer tarries, "Wait for it, because it will surely come."God is at work and His timing is always perfect. He makes all things beautiful in His time. Amen !