When Your answered is Delayed

   It has been 4 years now since we had to deal with COVID and the "New Normal". Since that time we have endured a great many changes. Now some of these changes were good, and some were not. 

    For me one of the positive changes has been me using Amazon Prime to purchase various items online. Prior to COVID I had never used Amazon prime and rarely did I purchase items online. I never really felt the need to use it. However with the demands of social distancing we were forced to use more online shopping options. Since that time I have been using Amazon prime for a variety of reasons. I have bought everything from coffee, tools, and even some country ham. 

    If you have ever used Amazon prime, or you have ever bought anything online, or even the Shopping Home Network you know that it will take a couple of days before your item's arrive. Normally it will tell you when you can expect your items to arrive at your house. 

    Now there are moments I have found when my purchased items does not arrive when it is supposed to. It may have gotten lost, it might get delivered at the wrong address, or it may for one reason or another been delayed in it's shipping. Its in those rare moments that I find myself getting frustrated and a little discouraged. Especially if what I am waiting for needs to be delivered at a certain time. 

    My daughter had to deal with this recently. She had ordered a belt buckle for her fiancé. It took weeks for the belt buckle to arrive, but she was expecting it to arrive much sooner. Every day she was checking the mail, texting me if there was a package on the porch. 

    I say all that to say this, that is how it can sometimes feel when we pray to God and it would seem like God is not answering our prayers. There are times we go to God in prayer over some issue or problem. Everyday you wake up wondering when is God going to answer your prayer. You begin to wonder if God will ever answer them. Its in those moments we can often get discouraged, frustrated and dare I say it, want to even give up. 

    That is exactly what happened to Daniel. Daniel had been praying for three long weeks. Daniel was waiting for an answer. He was wondering when God was going to answer his prayer. Daniel not only prayed but he was fasting all that time as well. He went without food and drinks as he prayed to God. However throughout those 21 days Daniel did not receive one answer to his prayer.

    Now at the end of those 21 days Daniel is greeted by an angel and that angel tells Daniel something interesting. The angel informs him of just exactly why He has not received an answer to his prayers. Listen to what this angel tells Daniel, it's found in (Daniel 10:12-13)

Then he said to me, Do not fear, Daniel; for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and to chasten yourself before your God, your words were heard. And I have come for your words. But the ruler of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days. But lo, Michael, one of the chief rulers, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.- (Dan 10:12-13)

Notice that the very day that Daniel sought after God in prayer, God sent the answer. The problem is that his answer did not arrive until 21 days later. It had nothing to do with Daniel or the prayer that Daniel was praying. It had nothing to do with the faithfulness of God to answer his prayer. No, Daniel did not receive the answer to his prayers, because of the spiritual warfare that was going on, that caused the answer to his prayer to be delayed.

 I believe this can show us a few things about prayer. 

    1. Spiritual warfare is real.

    We cannot see it taking place around us but it is there. Many people, even our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ refuse to believe it. There is a spiritual battle being waged as we speak, a real battle that our eyes cannot see, but it does affect our lives and the lives around us. 

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the world's rulers, of the darkness of this age, against spiritual wickedness in high places.- (Eph 6:12)

2. Sometimes our prayers are answered before we see the answer 

    This is where faith comes in. We need to trust that, because of Jesus Christ we have access to the Father that He hears and answers our prayers. That even if we may feel God is not listening and/or He will not answer, we need to continue praying in faith. Its in these times we need to pray like Daniel. Don't stop praying until you get an answer.

 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;- (Eph 6:18)

 So maybe you have been praying for some need that you or someone you know has. Perhaps you have been getting discouraged. You have been wandering if God is listening to your prayers. You have started thinking that God will not answer your prayers. Your frustrated and you want to give up. 

Well before you do, I want to encourage you today There is nothing that you know of that would prohibit your prayers from being heard. You have no known glaring sin that has strained your fellowship with Jesus Christ. You have done your best to make sure that what your are asking is in line with the will of God. Yet there is still no answer.

 Well then perhaps you are in a Daniel situation and your answer is on its way, so just continue to pray and wait for God's prayer package to arrive. Look for His delivery and trust that one day It will arrive right in time, and in the right way.