One of the most difficult things to endure within the Christian life is waiting to hear from God. Believers down through the ages have persevered in their hope of God’s providence and sovereignty, even in the face of waiting to receive their answer. This determination to persevere reveals not their faith in their request, but rather their faith in the One on whom they call.
Our instant gratification world we live in today is one where we become unintentionally conformed to think God should appeal our desire to hear from Him immediately. We fail because we forget the He is at work not only in our world and life circumstances, but also at work by repurposing and redeeming hearts that still feel the effects of a sin cursed world. We fail because we unintentionally make God out to be a cosmic genie.
5 ways to tell if you’re treating God like a genie
- Your focus is on your prayers, and not on the One who answers them
- Life appears to be too much to handle
- When hard times strike, your Bible remains unopened
- Your prayers are filled with “wants” or “needs,” but not “change my heart, O God”
- Everything else takes precedent over your spiritual life
Hebrews 11:39-40 (NIV)
“These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised”
Genesis 22:1-2 (NIV)
“Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
2 Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”
Deuteronomy 8:2 (NIV)
“Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.”
James 1:2-3 (NIV)
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
1 Peter 1:6-7 (ESV)
“In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Conclusion
- Be vulnerable when you pray
- Your practice of praying to God is directly proportional to your faith in God
- Hold firm to and carry the Kingdom of God as your priority in prayer
What do you need to hand over to God?
Lord help me hand _______________________ over to you
“When God wants to make an oak tree, He takes 100 years. When He wants to make a squash – 6 months, a strawberry – 6 weeks.”