Help for those who are waiting on God's timing

[Sandtigress]

I wanted this to be a bit general to help as many people as possible, so I ask forgiveness ahead of time for it being a little vague.

I’m going through a point in my life where I’m waiting for God to answer my prayers. I know that He will, and that He’s always faithful, but there are points in time where it seems I can’t help but doubt, even just a little bit. I wonder if He hears me, why He’s waiting so long, and just in general if something is wrong with me or the way I’m asking. Prayer is hard, though I try, and its even harder to go the extra mile for extra grace.

I know I’m not the only one who is or has gone through this, so I’m hoping someone can provide some advice, and maybe some personal experience to help lift some spirits. Thanks in advance!

 

[Reformed_Rob]

Hey Tigress,

Yeah, that’s pretty vague, but it’s one topic that everybody deals with, regardless of “what” it is we’re waiting on.

A minister preaching a sermon I heard once on waiting on a particular something made what may be some good universal suggestions for the waiting period.

Ok, you’re praying and waiting, and in the mean time, you should be preparing for what you’re praying for. And aside from that, develop yourself as a person. Take trips, learn new things, get to know your friends better. I don’t get out just a whole lot myself, but I’m all about some travelling and different activities just to do it once, see how I like things. That opens you up to experiences that you wouldn’t otherwise have.

The sermon was about what single guys should do while waiting to meet their woman, but probably this is good general advice. I don’t know what you’re praying and waiting for, but in the interim time, prepare for it and do what you enjoy doing, and expand your horizons!

-Rob

 

[Veritas41]

I think the most important thing is to remember that God answers our prayers (both in timing and in *how *He answers, whether “yes” or “no”) according to what is best. So, when we pray, we should ask for the grace to accept His answer and His timing, whatever it is. I went through this in dealing with infertility and trying to have a child. I was on an emotional roller-coaster every month, waiting to see if I were pregnant, and each month being bitterly disappointed. I finally had to offer the whole thing up to God, and ask Him to let me be content whether I had a child or not. After that, I experienced peace, and not long after that, I got pregnant. I think God delayed His answer to my prayers for a child to teach me that lesson.

I don’t know if you’ve heard the story of St. Augustine, and his mother, St. Monica. She prayed for St. Augustine for something like 30 years before he finally became a Christian, and when he finally did, what a Christian he became! Thirty years is a long time to wait for a prayer to be answered, but God answered that prayer way over and above probably anything St. Monica ever imagined.

God loves you and desires only what is best for you. Trust in Him.

 

[Sandtigress]

Thank you both for the suggestions! Even though I know He will answer in His own way, at his own time and that that time will be perfect, its so hard to wait sometimes - my own human imperfection says “Now would be a good time, thank you very much.” It really helps to have some encouragement and be reminded that other people are or have been waiting too.

 

[Alison]

Just thought I’d add an ecological perspective. As humans we are not accustomed to waiting particularly because we live in a culture of technological progress–just think if we had to make our own homes by hand or write our own books by hand (both of which are still done by those who lack the technology); how much more patience would we have in those circumstances? That said, we know that God’s creation often gives us a window into the way God makes things happen; this is especially true for nature since all of God’s natural creation operates on very different time scales. Pollination (the process by which plants reproduce) occurs very gradually because it uses animals and bees for instance, as vectors to transport pollen from one plant to another. The key here is that it happens very gradually and naturally without human intervention. Pollination is an example of how human impatience is not the same as nature’s time scales. Plants don’t reproduce instantly, and so are produced on a very gradual time scale.
In the same way, if nature’s ecosystem services operate gradually, we can also operate gradually. Just like the plants which work and reproduce very “patiently” we can and should have more patience; it is only natural.
God bless.

 

[LukeQ]

Further to Alison’s valued comments, The Greeks had two words for time that mean:

1. Cronological time
2. The time it takes.

#2 is a hard one to accept when our whole society is geared to cronological time.

As members of the Body of Christ and brothers and sisters to all humanity, our lives are inter-related and naturally ordered. Yes, God can miraclulously interviene in the natural order and has done so throughout history. However, the day to day miracles He works for us as answers to prayers are interwoven in the process of events and relationships that touch us and God works through these sequences for the greater good of Salvation.

With this in mind, your prayer and its outcome most probably will affect humanity to a degree and “the time it takes” for an answer from God may involve the occurence of a sequence of events that need to take place first. However, I may be wrong and God may directly and divinely interviene with a miracle.

I have just said a prayer for your intentions.

May God bless you abundantly.

Luke

 

[Reformed_Rob]

LukeQ:

Further to Alison’s valued comments, The Greeks had two words for time that mean:

1. Cronological time
2. The time it takes.

#2 is a hard one to accept when our whole society is geared to cronological time.

Luke

Hey LukeQ, it’s neat you should say that. The Bishop used that at the Candidate & Catechumen service a few weeks ago. I think he used the terms:

1. Kronos time
2. God’s time

He was talking about how, waiting to come into the Church, the chronological time can seem a long time. Also, there are people still doubting, still apprehensive, that God is still working in them. And that’s ok, because God is working in His own time. I don’t remember much else of the Bishop’s talk. But it was pretty good.

What time is it…?

It’s God’s time!

 

[Sandtigress]

Thanks for the further advice, and especially the prayer!

And this:
Reformed Rob:

What time is it…?

It’s God’s time!

made me laugh!

Thanks again!