Faith When Answers Are Delayed
by Dr. Paul Chappell
“And the disciples of John shewed him of all these things. And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?”
Luke 7:18–20
While God sometimes answers our prayers immediately, there are other times when we must keep our faith strong enough to keep praying until the answer comes. Evangelist D. L. Moody told the story of one of the most notorious infidels in Scotland who came to one of his meetings. Moody asked if he could pray for the man, and the infidel just laughed, saying that prayer did not work because God was not real. He heard Moody preach a few times, but did not respond to the gospel.
A few weeks later he came to hear Moody again. After the meeting Moody asked him if anything had changed. The man laughed and said, “I told you your praying is false. God hasn’t answered.” Moody said later, “I relied on faith.” The team kept praying, and a few more weeks passed. The infidel went to a service in his hometown and told the man preaching, “I am troubled. I don’t have any peace and I want you to pray for me.” God had worked through the prayers of Moody and his group, and the man found Jesus Christ.
Even the strongest faith may waver from time to time during difficult days, but we must not give up on God. He has never yet failed to keep His promises. Our faith is not based on what we see around us but on what He has declared He will do. We do not need anything for confirmation of His reliability beyond what we find in the Scriptures.
Luke 7:18–20
While God sometimes answers our prayers immediately, there are other times when we must keep our faith strong enough to keep praying until the answer comes. Evangelist D. L. Moody told the story of one of the most notorious infidels in Scotland who came to one of his meetings. Moody asked if he could pray for the man, and the infidel just laughed, saying that prayer did not work because God was not real. He heard Moody preach a few times, but did not respond to the gospel.
A few weeks later he came to hear Moody again. After the meeting Moody asked him if anything had changed. The man laughed and said, “I told you your praying is false. God hasn’t answered.” Moody said later, “I relied on faith.” The team kept praying, and a few more weeks passed. The infidel went to a service in his hometown and told the man preaching, “I am troubled. I don’t have any peace and I want you to pray for me.” God had worked through the prayers of Moody and his group, and the man found Jesus Christ.
Even the strongest faith may waver from time to time during difficult days, but we must not give up on God. He has never yet failed to keep His promises. Our faith is not based on what we see around us but on what He has declared He will do. We do not need anything for confirmation of His reliability beyond what we find in the Scriptures.
Today’s Growth Principle:
Do not ever let the circumstances you face make you doubt that God will keep His promises.
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