God is always right on time!

Prayer is a good thing, but can also be discouraging and disappointing. Let me explain.

We live in a microwave/ drive through society. We want it all and we want it now.

That's got to stop people.

Praying, asking God for things, should not be an ASAP thing. Mark Batterson in Draw the Circle says it needs to be ALAT. (As long as it takes.) 

That's a scary thought. But what if it takes weeks, months or even years? Well, that's just how long it takes.

Mark says this about our prayers too, "Very rarely does our first request hit the bulls-eye of God's good, pleasing and perfect will. Most prayer requests have to be refined."

It's about drawing a circle and not coming out until God answers.

Mark also says, "This doesn't mean I'm forcing God's hand. After all, we can't force God to do anything! It just means I'm praying with confidence. I believe that God never overpromises or underdelivers. He always delivers on His promises, but He does it on His timeline."

See, here is what we can do. 

God has promises in the Bible.

Numbers 23: 19 says this about God, "God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act?
Does he promise and not fulfill?"

When God makes a promise. He keeps it. He does not lie. Nor does He change His mind.

Your prayer isn't going to change His mind. But if it's lined up with what He already has planned, it will happen in His time frame.

Here is an example of prayer... I have been praying for my children to get along. The fighting got out of hand one night and I've been beside myself on what to do. It breaks my heart as a mom. (I also honestly don't understand it because I'm an only child.)

Anyway, I've been praying for God to bond them closer to each other. Help them love each other like they should. I have asked for healing from the anger they carry and for them to not fight as much. I'm sure God wants my children to live this way. It's probably part of his good, perfect, pleasing will. Right? I have seen some improvements. But I don't need to stop praying that until it's fully happened. And when I pray, I can pray Scripture over them. That's a great way to pray God's promises. 

John 13: 34-35 says this,  “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

I can use that to pray for my children. "Father, please help the love one another just like You love them. You said that people will know we are Your disciples by our love for one another. I ask that You help my children love each other like this. In Jesus name, amen."

Pray the Scriptures. Pray His promises. And don't stop until you hear an answer. It might be no or not right now. That's ok. God knows what is best for us all. Draw and circle and don't get out until you know.