When my daughter, Valerie, was just a toddler, a friend at church asked her when we were going to come over for a visit.
In a sad, small voice, Valerie replied: “Mommy says soon, but soon never comes!”
When I think of my little girl’s hopeless response, I am reminded of the countless times I, too, have felt that same pang of despair while waiting on God. We live in a fast-paced world, often expecting instant answers and immediate results. It is so hard to remember that God’s timing is not our own. He is never in a hurry.
Meanwhile, we wait. Perhaps we need His guidance on an important decision. Maybe we are struggling with a difficult relationship, a challenging job, or an illness that just keeps hanging on.
No matter what our trial, God encourages us to be “Joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” (Romans 12:12, NIV).
This, of course, is easier said than done. How can we remain patient in affliction? I believe the key is in the latter part of this verse: if we want to experience true joy in all circumstances, we must be “faithful in prayer.” When we pray, we are opening the floodgates for God to fill us with His hope.
Perhaps that is why I love to read the Psalms. David continually exemplifies this principle of non-stop communication with God throughout his life. No matter how seemingly dark his circumstances—facing a fowl-mouthed giant, hiding from King Saul in a cave, or experiencing the devastation of losing a child—David continually reaches out to God for help.
That is how he could proclaim: “I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry"
(Psalm 40:1, NIV).
