Growing In Prayer DevotionalSample

Why Does God Delay Answers?  

Several factors may contribute to a delay, including God’s timing, demonic resistance, man’s free will, the Lord’s desire for partnership with His people, and the value He places on our being in unity with His heart and with one another. Let’s very briefly consider a few of these factors:

• God’s timing is often very different from ours.
• Demonic resistance can cause a delay in our receiving an answer to prayer (Eph. 6:12; Dan. 10:13).
• Man can use his free will to do evil, and God may allow it for a season.
• The Lord desires partnership with His people, so He encourages us to persevere in prayer.
• Sometimes God waits to release the answer to a prayer until His people are in unity with Him and with one another.

What Can I Do?

Remember that God’s ways are higher than your ways. Sometimes an answer is delayed because the Lord wants to bring something better along in His perfect timing.

For Reflection

Lord, when I remember that Your timing in answering my prayers is often different from mine—yet always right on time—I remain in peace because I trust Your leadership.