Perfect Patience in Prayer

We wait.

In lines…

In traffics…

For news–good or bad…

For the weather to change…

To recover from illnesses…

We wait, and wait, and wait some more.

So, why do we insist that it be different when it comes to waiting on the response to our prayers? Waiting is inevitable, but our attitudes and actions will dictate the outcome. Even though our prayer requests may differ, as our faces, our impatience is identical. We may believe that if we pray hard enough—especially if we fast—then God’s response should be prompt and automatic.

We’re usually copacetic with waiting…when it’s in our comfort zone. But when waiting exceeds several months or worse, several years; that’s when our patience is truly tested. Sadly, the majority of us fail miserably. In our arrogance, we believe that God was created to wait on us instead of the other way around. The palmist David gave sound advice when he said in Psalm 27:14, “Wait for the Lord: be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

Keep in mind that perfect patience remains calm. It doesn’t complain, and it doesn’t get angry. We don’t always succeed with practicing this kind of patience. But there’s a glimmer of hope. Perfect patience is also humble in waiting; it diligently perseveres. Even when through impetuosity we do our will, we can always return to God’s perfect plan and timing. As we wait for answers to our prayers, let’s remember that God is never late.

We have to realize that God’s timing is undisputed. Hence, the runner up is (Drum roll please!) to daily ask the Lord to guide us in becoming experts at waiting on Him. He’ll then grant us the perfect patience we need. Whenever impatience threatens to take over our wait for divine answers, let’s take refuge in specific Bible verses that speaks exclusively about waiting on God. Here’s one: “I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.” (Psalms 130:5) This practice will reassure us that God is in control.