Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.
(Psalm 27:14 NIV)
God has three possible answers to our prayers: yes, no, and not yet. The definitive answers are easier to handle. Waiting is difficult! Have you ever wondered why God doesn’t answer our prayers instantaneously? Waiting for God’s answers does not necessarily mean the answer will be no.
Sometimes waiting allows God to work on our hearts. One of the biggest hindrances to unanswered prayer is unconfessed sin. It blocks the flow of God’s grace in our lives. I can tell you, in all honesty, this is true. Ask Jesus to reveal any hidden sin in your heart. Confession will restore your relationship. An unforgiving spirit is another roadblock. How can we expect God to forgive us when we harbor ill will toward others?
Many times our free will gets in the way. Being impatient for the Lord to act, we may take matters into our own hands and jump ahead of God’s perfect plan. A lack of trust may be the reason. The Lord may allow us to wait on Him to build our trust and grow our faith. Then He can demonstrate His faithfulness. I suggest we submit to His plan completely and willingly wait on Him for our prayers to be answered. Then we will be ready for whatever answer He gives us.