God answers prayers in His timing, calling us to trust that He knows best. Have you ever prayed for something only to have Him say no or wait? Did you question God at the time? Sometimes, we think we know more than God. As we reflect on that thought, we see how ridiculous it is.
1 John 3: 20 Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.[1] Everything means He knows when and how to answer our prayers. One aspect of faith is learning to trust God when we don’t understand what God is doing and why. Hebrews 11:1Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.[2]
The Bible tells us that Zechariah and Elizabeth had been praying for a long time to have a child, although they were now old. Luke 1:13 But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John.[3]. They may have wondered, “Why couldn’t this child be born when we were younger?”
John the Baptist Will Prepare the Way for the Messiah
Many couples have experienced a late child that brought tears of “why me,” only to realize God’s timing was perfect. Jesus would come into the world soon after John the Baptist was born, setting up God’s perfect timing to prepare peoples’ hearts.
Luke 1:17 He (John the Baptist) will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly. [4] Paul tells us about God’s timing. Galatians 4: 4 But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman,[5]
Perhaps you are praying for physical healing, restoration of a relationship, a spouse, a child, or another need, and God’s timing does not match your expectations. Sometimes, God’s timing means letting go of our desires and giving the entire situation to Jesus. It is always difficult when life does not turn out how we think and the Lord calls us to take our circumstances to the cross.
God Prepares Us As We Wait on His Timing
As I have experienced life and studied stories of the Bible, God is often preparing our hearts as we wait. He has a way of always getting us ready for His answer and timing. In doing so, He stretches our faith and reveals what is in our hearts.
Zechariah and Elizabeth did not give up on praying for a child, even when they were older. As we wait, God often refines us. In the Old Testament, Joseph waited in prison, doing his best with no end in sight. Suddenly, through several events, he became the number two person in Egypt after interpreting a dream for the Pharaoh.
Many of us are like wild stallions that God must tame as we wait on Him. As believers, we must pray by faith, trusting that God knows best. God is not building a Kingdom through our strength but through His. To learn how God answers prayers in His timing, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/an-angel-surprise
[1-5] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.