God Answers Every Prayer

Recognize that sometimes God will keep you waiting for an answer.

First we must make the point that learning how to wait patiently for God to answer prayer and bring about His purposes is one of the hardest lessons in the Christian life, and can mean the difference between peace and panic in your life. I am not quite sure myself which is the more difficult situation to be in – getting an answer from God that one does not like, or having to wait interminably for the divine reply. Christian friends to whom I have put that question over the years are almost unanimous in saying that waiting is by far the most difficult thing to endure.

God answers every prayer, but it has been said that the answer may come in one of four forms (1) Yes (2) No (3) Here is something better (4) Wait to see what I will do. The first is easy to handle – we just open our hands and take what God gives. The second response is a little more difficult – but just as kind as the first.

The third is also easy to receive.
The fourth reply – Wait – is the most difficult to handle, but just as loving as the others. God delays His answers for many reasons but the most common reason is this: to deepen our characters so that we won’t become spiritual crybabies when we don’t get everything at once.

O Father, I know in my intellect that the waiting time can prove transformative to my whole being, but I confess that I find it so hard to endure. You have helped me before – help me now with this. In Jesus’ name. Amen.