Waiting for God to Act?

Do you get frustrated and wonder why your prayers aren't answered in your timing? Do you tell God exactly how He should fix your situation, or answer the need of someone you care about?

This week I've been enjoying, Live A Praying Life by Jennifer Kennedy Dean. You can check out her books at www.prayinglife.org

Jennifer writes, "Prayer is the key to everything. What God wants to do on the earth, He does through prayer."

I particularly enjoyed her perceptive look at how God uses waiting times to accomplish His bigger purposes. In our limited understanding we beseech God to do something NOW!! But consider Joseph, the children of Isreal in captivity in Egypt, Hannah longing for a child, Mary and Martha wanting Jesus to come immediately to raise Lazarus from the dead.

In each case, the human need was acute, just like it might be today in your life and mine. But in each case, from God's divine viewpoint, there was a bigger objective and it required time to put things in place and bring to birth His greater purpose. His delays brought greater blessings to many, and greater glory to Himself.

I'll share more about these illustrations in my next blog, but let me leave you with a question:

What do you think God might be wanting to do in you, or the life of the person you're praying for, as you wait to see prayer answered?