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Waiting as a believer is the most exhausting yet rewarding act of submission to God’s will. No one said that waiting on God is easy, especially when it’s something like a prayer that He should answer immediately.
So what does God want from us while we wait?
He tells us in Psalm 37:7 to be still and wait because everything is in the works according to His will. And God knows how much we want our prayers to be answered, especially if they come with abundance in our lives.
We tend to expect a lot from God when we ask in prayer. Like a child, we get excited at receiving His answer. In the middle of it, we often get agitated to the point of having urges to do something.
God is telling us to stop being restless and nervous and get ahead of ourselves as Abraham did. Then suffered the consequences of disobeying God just because he didn’t wait as God instructed. Ultimately, his descendants from his sons Isaac and Ishmael are lifelong enemies. The Jews and Arabs are not on good terms because Abraham did not follow simple instructions.
Do not ask for trouble while waiting for your prayer to be answered. The best thing you could do, among other things, is to wait patiently. But what are the different productive ways we can do while waiting?
1 – Have belief in the fact that God hears your cries.
When praying with power and authority, never doubt God’s prolonged silence. Not even for an instant. It may seem like nothing’s happening, and you may think He doesn’t care, but that’s not true. God demonstrates His unfailing love and mercy even if we break His heart.
Since Christ’s death on the cross, God made it an assurance that we can always rely on Him and that the blood of His Son washes away our sins. So when we feel like God doesn’t hear us out on purpose, we should focus on the fact that He does and place our complete trust in Him.
2 – Expect the unexpected.
Sometimes, God answers our prayers in ways we never expected, even if it comes with various levels of discomfort. It only means we must respond in humility because God never stops teaching us valuable lessons, even as he answers our prayers.
We should unlearn our prideful ways that we can get what we want if we work for it. Of course, that needs to be done, but without God’s help, it is arrogance on our part. As we grow and become patient, we nurture our faith in His power to answer when we ask.
3 – Don’t get ahead of God and pray steadfastly.
Worry not if you feel like God isn’t doing anything and you’re tired of waiting. Even the saints in the Bible also felt the same while waiting for God’s voice and, in turn, did things their way. It is tempting to give in and give up, but it will defeat the purpose of strengthening our faith in God.
The enemy lies in wait, seeking the best opportunity to ruin our faith and discouraging us from praying without ceasing. Constantly be reminded that God is at work in our lives, and we shouldn’t forget how He set us free from the shackles of sin that hinder us from being with Him in Eternity.
While waiting for an answered prayer, check out The Other Side of Fear by Lisare!
From going through trauma and abuse to a thriving woman serving the Lord, Wendy Veronica Lisare tells you her pain and victory story. She hopes to inspire and empower readers going through tough times in their lives.
The author lays bare in intimate detail all that transpired in her life – from an unhappy childhood, loveless marriage, messy divorce, loss of a loved one, and a battle with cancer. Lisare also shares how the power of faith in Jesus Christ changed her life for the better, thriving through all those troubles.
Life may bring us down sometimes, but always know that God hears us, He understands, and He will get us through it. Lisare also wants readers to learn from her testimony as they go along a complex yet rewarding spiritual journey to the other side of fear.
