When our prayers for guidance seem to go unanswered and we wait and wait, does this mean that God has forgotten about the prayer? Does it mean that they may never get answered?
It can be frustrating to wait for answers from God, but we shouldn’t look at it this way. God answers prayer one step at a time. He has the perfect answer but we need to be patient and wait for it. We need to pray daily and start each day with a prayer for guidance.
I find that if I don’t do this, I start to drift away from Him and all of a sudden I am on my own course and that turns into major disappointment!
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes. Psalm 37:7
Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you,
who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. Isaiah 64:4
Don’t try not to be too anxious and act out on your own plans because you have to remember that it is God’s perfect timing. There may be a series of things that need to happen before it is our time to receive His answer. I think perfect timing is what makes for the best results especially when God already knows the future, don’t you?
God uses delays to equip us for what He has in store for us. Difficulties and disappointments have a way of strengthening us. It also shows we have faith that he will answer us and we will be ready to receive the answer.
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:14
I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in His word I put my hope. Psalm 130:5
If it seems that our prayers for guidance don’t get answered, we may need to figure out if what we’re asking for is selfish or at the risk of someone else being hurt. We need to ask for things that would be Christ centered. Don’t ever stop praying, but examine if what you’re praying for is in God’s will or not. Some of the best things require waiting the longest.
Waiting for the Lord’s answers will require you to trust Him and courage to not follow our own schedule, and not to give in to the pressure of others.
Some examples of disappointments by following our own course are that we are disobeying God and our blessings are delayed even longer. Our problems tend to worsen and we experience confusion and others experience the consequences by our actions. Often times our finances take a hit from this and we have nobody to blame but our disobedience by not taking the time to be patient and wait on the Lord.
You will never feel impatient again, because what you are waiting for is the best that our almighty God has to offer. After your prayers for guidance have been answered, your patience and love for the Lord will grow each day as long as you stay close to Him through prayer and praise Him for all he does in your life.
