Hope for When Summer Didn't Heal You - Your Nightly Prayer - September 20th

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Hope When Summer Didn’t Heal You
Your Nightly Prayer
by Clarence Haynes Jr.

TONIGHT’S SCRIPTURE

"I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry." - Psalm 40:1

SOMETHING TO PONDER

Have you ever taken a long road trip with children and heard those inevitable words, "Are we there yet?" This past summer, my daughter faced a choice between two amusement parks. One was an hour away that she'd visited before. The other one, which she had not been to before, was two and a half hours away. Without hesitation, she chose the closer one. Why? Because the wait was too long. As the driver, I was happy with her decision.

Waiting for God can feel a lot like that car ride. You have done everything you know to do. You have fasted, prayed, and obeyed his word. Yet you're still not seeing the breakthrough or deliverance you expected. These moments lead you to cry out to God, not with “Are we there yet?” but with “How long, Lord?” How long will I have to deal with this issue? How long will I have to walk through this valley?"

When you feel like you're not getting an answer, hope can fade, and despair tries to creep in. I often tell people it's easy to rejoice before the trial starts or celebrate after it's over. But when you're right in the middle of it, that's where your faith and trust get tested.

David knew this struggle. Though he was a man after God’s own heart, he had his share of waiting seasons when God seemed distant or slow to act. Yet David knew that the speed with which God moves doesn't determine whether he has heard your prayer. Even when the waiting stretched longer than he wanted, David knew God did not ignore his prayer. That's exactly what David was declaring in Psalm 40:

I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.

Notice God heard his cry, but David still had to wait for him to come through. This is the hardest part of prayer…waiting. When you are waiting, will you still trust God when he seems silent? Are you able to hold on when you don’t see movement? Do you still believe he cares when your natural feelings try to tell you otherwise? This is the most challenging part of the faith journey, and I have yet to meet anyone who enjoys it.

I was talking with a friend recently, and we both laughed because when we pray for God to move, what we really mean is we want him to show up yesterday. I can assure you waiting is never easy, but it does not mean that God has forgotten you. He has heard your cry.

You may still be waiting, but please don’t mistake his silence for his absence. If your summer didn’t bring the breakthrough you were hoping for, let me remind you that he is the same God who hears and the same God who delivers. You may not know “when,” but you know “who,” and you can rest in him because he is faithful.

I don't know when your answer is coming, but I know God has not abandoned you, no matter how you feel or what the enemy tries to tell you. David waited, and God showed up. In fact, the waiting was part of the preparation for the next thing God would do in his life. The same is true for you. I will never tell you it feels good, but you can rest knowing you have a loving Father who is working this for your good. Even if you must wait.

YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER

Heavenly Father,
Tonight, I bring my waiting heart before you. Sometimes the silence feels heavy, and the delay makes me wonder if you see me or hear me. Even though your word reminds me you do, sometimes I get tired of waiting. In those moments, remind me that just as you turned to David and heard his cry, you have heard mine too. Teach me to wait with faith, not with fear or frustration. When I want to be impatient, give me peace, so I will keep trusting you. Help me remember that your timing is perfect, and you are doing what is in my best interest even when it feels different. Lord, I surrender my timetable to you and trust completely in your plan. As I wait, help me rest in your presence, because I know you will come through.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON

1. God hears every prayer you pray, even when the answer feels delayed.

2. When you are waiting, God is shaping. He often uses these moments to grow your faith and shape your character.

3. God brings the breakthrough at the right time, though his clock is often different from ours.

Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Aleksandra Sapozhnikova

Clarence L. Haynes Jr. is a speaker, Bible teacher, and co-founder of The Bible Study Club.  He is the author of The Pursuit of Purpose which will help you understand how God leads you into his will. His most recent book is The Pursuit of Victory: How To Conquer Your Greatest Challenges and Win In Your Christian Life. This book will teach you how to put the pieces together so you can live a victorious Christian life and finally become the man or woman of God that you truly desire to be. Clarence is also committed to helping 10,000 people learn how to study the Bible and has just released his first Bible study course called Bible Study Basics. To learn more about his ministry please visit clarencehaynes.com.  

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