Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.

Psalm 36:5

WHEN THE WAITING IS OVER

Last year at Encounter, God did something very personal for my wife and me. There was a specific call to pray for those who have wayward sons or daughters.

Our church family surrounded us, laid hands on us and prayed specifically that God would call our son back to Him. We had been praying for over two years for our son to return to his first love and begin seeking the Lord again.

At our Christmas service a few months later, God answered our prayers. Every day since, we give Him thanks as we see our son growing in his faith again.

Recently, I realized that while I was overjoyed that our prayers had been answered, I had not stopped and thought about God’s faithfulness in the waiting.

While we were waiting and praying continually, God was teaching us that His presence in our lives was enough to sustain us even if our prayer was not being answered in the way we wanted it to be.

Consider the Israelites, who longed for deliverance from Egypt. When God parted the Red Sea, their cries of desperation turned into songs of praise as they declared His majesty.

But their journey also reminds us of the human tendency to forget God’s works when new challenges arise.

When your prayers are answered, instead of rushing forward, take deliberate moments to thank God, recount His goodness, and engrave His faithfulness on your heart.

Remember how He sustained you in the waiting. He may have been using that time to mold you more into the image of His Son.

A practical way to do this is by creating a “faithfulness journal.” Write down your prayers and the ways God answers them, both big and small. When trials come again—and they will—you’ll have a tangible testimony of His steadfast love to draw from.

Remember, the answered prayer is not just a gift; it’s a revelation of God’s character. He is faithful and true, and each fulfilled promise is a reminder that He sees, hears and cares deeply for His children.

So, when the waiting is over, let gratitude guide you into a deeper relationship with Him, keeping your heart attuned to His will and His glory.

PRAY

Father, thank you for listening every time I pray. Help me to remember that you hear me, even if the answer is “wait” or “no”. Thank you for always being enough, even when I am walking through a time of pain or sorrow.

I know that you work all things for the good of those who love you, so even waiting is a time for you to do good in me. Help me remember that and embrace it.

In Jesus’ name, amen.