Have you ever prayed and feel like God is listening but not responding? You know He is providing complete attention but He is silent. You are not the only one. David felt the same; “To you, O Lord, I call; my rock, do not be deaf to me, I will become like those who go down to the pit. Hear the voice of my supplication when I cry to You for help, when I lift up my hands toward Your holy sanctuary.” (Psalm 28:1-2). David desperately needed to hear from God and it is not like it happened once. This is repeated several times in Psalm. How do we function when God delays to respond?
In every example I can find God’s instructions to us was to continue to pray and not stop (1 Thessalonians 5:17). I know this may seem lame because we live in a fast pace country where everything is now and sometimes, we have so many options. Sometimes waiting on God, depending on God is present in our hearts but absent from our faith.
His delay took place in the case of Daniel (Daniel 10:10-14). It was not that God did not hear him and had not resolved the issue it was delayed because the angel who was sent to bring him the message was delayed on an assignment God have him. What is amazing is that Daniel did not stop praying. He kept praying daily at the same time in the same place while his circumstances many times got worse.
What we learn from examples such as this (there are many; to name another – the Lord’s brother. Church history said he prayed so much his knees developed calluses) is that there was such a dependence on God that these individuals continually prayed no matter how long God choose to be silent.
God has taught me over the years that He has a time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). How this passage begins is powerful and humbling. “There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven —” (Ecclesiastes 3:1; NASU) Maybe this is why Isaiah would say; “ Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.” (Isaiah 40:31; NASU – please read from verse 27)
It seems as if our prayer life exposes our faith. When God is silent do we persist in prayer? When God gives an answer but it is not what we desired do we still obey Him? When God’s Word teaches us the answer but it is not what we wanted do we faithfully obey His Word? Our prayer life actually exposes our faith.
