September 22

Continue in Prayer

Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray at all times and not lose heart: — Luke 18:1 BSB

Many people grow discouraged in their prayers when the answer doesn’t come right away. The first thing we need to settle in our minds is that God always hears sincere prayer and always sends an answer, though it may not be the one we expect. God never ignores the cries of His children, but sometimes He delays His response for good reasons. It may be that the answer isn’t ready yet because God’s plans are broad, and He works slowly. Think of Joseph in Egypt—he was a slave, then a prisoner. No doubt he prayed for release many times, and it must have seemed like God was slow to answer. But when the answer finally came, Joseph could see that all things had to be prepared, and the timing was perfect.

Sometimes God delays to deepen our faith or increase our persistence. The story of the Syrophoenician woman is a good example. At first, Jesus didn’t even respond to her, but it was for her own benefit. She kept asking, and her persistence led to a better blessing than she might have received right away. If she had given up after the first silence, think of what she would have missed.

Many prayers go unanswered because people lose heart when God delays. You may have missed out on many blessings because you gave up too soon. A little more faith and persistence would have brought the reward. It’s like the story of the man who drilled for oil but, discouraged after spending much money and time, sold the operation. The next owner struck oil just hours later. Don’t let discouragement rob you of the blessings God has for you.