When God Doesn’t Immediately Answer, Remember This

In review of Psalm 130:5 this morning, I read “I wait expectantly, trusting God to help, for he has promised.” (TLB)

When I feel overwhelmed by a problem, feeling sorry for myself will only increase feelings of hopelessness; but crying out to God will turn my attention to the only One who can really help. I need to remember that God is holding nothing against me. His lines of communication are completely open.

God wants me to wait patiently for him to answer my prayer, but he also wants me to wait expectantly. Have faith. Trust God to hear and to answer. When I wait expectantly, I show God that I believe his promises. I believe he’s going to keep his word.

At times I feel bewildered. Bewildered about my career: “Do I go up, down, or change jobs?” Bewildered about relationships. I may feel powerless and hopeless, like I can’t do anything to change my situation on my own.

God’s Word tells me to not be discouraged! To not give up! Rather Look up. Turn to prayer. There will be times with requests in my life that when I pray may never be answered. I may never know why God hasn’t chosen to answer that prayer. But I can decide this: Whether or not God ever answers that prayer, I am going to die believing his promises. Because God is a good God, and he knows what’s best, even when I don’t understand it.

When God doesn’t answer my prayers, I need to remember a couple very important truths: 

First, God is in control, and I’m not. He knows better what I need than I do. There is no mountain too tall that he can’t move it. There is no problem so big that he can’t solve it. There is no sorrow too deep; he cannot soothe it. God is in control, and he has a plan.

Secondly, I need to remember that, whether or not I ever receive my answer, God will honor my patience, if not here in this world, then in eternity.

So I need to learn to wait expectantly, trusting God to help, for he has promised he will.

In summary, I need to wait expectantly, trusting in God to help, for he has promised he will. When I feel overwhelmed, feeling sorry for myself will only increase my hopelessness, but crying out to God will turn my attention to the only One who can help. God wants me to learn to wait patiently and expectantly for him to answer. So have faith and trust God to hear and to answer. There will be times when my requests may seem to go unanswered. I may never know why, but I can decide that I'm going to die believing in his promises. God is good and knows what's best for me. When God doesn't answer, I need to remember that he is in control and I am not. He knows better what I need than I do. He has a plan. Secondly, whether or not I receive my answer, God will honor my patience, if not here, then in eternity. So I need to learn to wait expectantly, trusting God to help, for he has promised he will.

In the last two years, I have experienced more areas that have caused me to wait patiently for an answer. I do see things changing and not always the way that I would like to see them go. I have been doing my best to trust that God knows what’s best and that he is using the experiences to build my character and faith. I also believe that he will use these in my life for his purposes. Father I pray that with the help of your Holy Spirit that I am reminded to go to you and not feel sorry for myself. Know that you are in control and that you will honor my patience. I also ask you for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my leadership and my interactions with others. These things I pray in your Son Jesus name, Amen.