Have you ever prayed and God answered it immediately? Now, have you ever prayed and it took a while to be answered? Or, are you still waiting for your prayer to be answered by God?
In the story of Sarai and Hagar we see what taking matters into our own hands instead of waiting for God’s ultimate plan can do in the waiting process.
Genesis 16:1-4“Now Sarai Abrams wife had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name is Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram “See now the Lord has restrained me from bearing children. Please go in to my maid perhaps I shall obtain a child by her. And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai. Then Sarai Abrams wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife after Abram had dwelt ten years in Canaan. So he went in to Hagar and she conceived and when she seen that she had conceived her mistress became despised in her eyes.”
In Sarai and Abrams story we see the wait of their unanswered prayer of conceiving a child. It took many years of waiting for Sarai to eventually bear a child and have her prayer answered.
However, in the waiting process she decided to take matters into her own hands and have Hagar bear a child for her. Which lead to resentment, envy, bitterness, etc.
Stepping out of the Lord’s plan and having our own hands in it is a recipe for disaster. But, when we wait on the Lord and yield to His perfect plan there is joy in the process, peace beyond our understanding, and our faith in Him increases.
Isaiah 40:31 “ But those that wait on the Lord; Shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint.”
God knows just what we need. He knows us better than we know ourselves. And He knows the timing in which to give it. After all He is our Father in heaven. Who else knows us better?
If your prayers still haven’t been answered do not be discouraged. But, be encouraged by the hope that we have in Jesus Christ.
Psalm 18:6 “ In my distress I called upon the Lord and cried out to my God. He heard my voice from His temple. And my cry came before Him, even to His ears.”
Waiting on the Lord is a difficult process. But when we do wait for His time the end result is much better than what we can ever come up with in our own strength.
Amanda Green