Do you have trouble being patient in your prayers? Countless times I have prayed without immediate results from God.
But is that something we should hold against God? Does He always promise instant results? Could He be teaching us something more than our expected and perceived result of prayer?
We are an instant people, especially Americans. We desire a fast, if not instantaneous answer in everything.
When I searched for Psalm 28 to read it on my computer this morning the first thing at the top of the screen wasn’t Psalm 28 but the time it took to pull up the results — .52 seconds!
Sadly, we sometimes think prayer is on our timetable instead of in the hands of the One Who transcends time: the Alpha and the Omega – the One Who was, and is and is to come (Revelation 1:8).
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In Psalm 28:1-2, David has asked the Lord for help and seemingly did not receive an instant response. Knowing the character and previous experiences of the Lord, David presumes to pray the Lord’s response in verses 3-6.
He basically asks the Lord to “sic ‘em.” This is a personal imprecatory request for the Lord to punish his enemies. Did David believe repaying his enemies for evil that was done to him was the best answer? I know my flesh has prayed that way before.
Were David’s prayers of praise to the Lord laced with undertones of justifiable anger and vengeance? David was adamant about the answer he wanted from the Lord – swift punishment for those who were oppressing him.
But would this be the Lord’s response? While the Lord does punish those who do evil because His character is holy, our prayers should not commence to instruct the Lord. They should be prayers of praise that demonstrate hearts of devotion and trust in the Lord, allowing Him to act in the time and way that His holy character desires.
We should ask for deliverance and trust the Lord knows best how to do it. We should ask the Lord for help but trust He will give us what is best.
If He lingers, praise the Lord. If He grants mercy where we do not see fit, praise the Lord. If He chooses to condemn the wicked, praise the Lord. If He never delivers from present situations, praise be the Lord. The condition of our prayers reflects the condition of our hearts.
Verses 6-7 illustrate how God answered David’s prayer for deliverance and mercy. While David waited on the Lord, the Lord grew his strength, trust, joy, and praise.
Maybe David waited a week? Maybe longer? While we do not know the length of time David had to be patient, we do know the Lord answered David’s request.
David remained patient and kept on praying. While we wait for God’s answer to prayer, we must realize God is building our Christ-like character – strength, trust, joy, praise, etc.
Will we give up in prayer? Will we trust the Lord has the best response? Will we allow the Lord to change our prayer requests? Will we be joyful while we wait? Will we praise Him before, during, and after the results of prayer?
While we do not know exactly how the Lord dealt with David’s oppressors, David viewed God’s eventual response as appropriate and fulfilling, even encouraging others in verses 8-9 to trust Him for their future needs for strength, deliverance, and blessings.
Lord, help me to wait patiently and continue to pray. Help me to trust You for the best results and answer. I do not desire to instruct You as you alone are wise, all-powerful, and all-knowing. I choose to submit to Your answers before I see them. Grow my faith and trust in You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
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Stephen Harrison is the lead pastor of Family Church at White Hall
Editor’s note:
Pastors, ministers or other writers interested in writing for this section may submit articles to shope@adgnewsroom.com. Please include your phone number and the name and location of your church or ministry.