Why Does It Seem Like Such a Process for God to Answer My Prayers?

...because, most of the time, it is!

"And it came to pass the selfsame day, that the LORD did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies." 

Exodus 12:51

We pray to the Lord.
We know He hears us.
We believe He is able.
We trust He will answer.

But...

Yet, so often, as we're praying, we forget to remember that God's answers are often accomplished through a series of events--a process.

On that glorious day, when the children of Israel were finally emancipated from 400 years of slavery, they triumphantly marched out of Egypt, experiencing the long-awaited, miraculous deliverance of God!

It's interesting to recall, however, that there were many necessary components in the process through which God wrought their deliverance.

The expulsion of Moses from the palace.
The keeping of Jethro's sheep in the backside of the desert.
The burning bush and God's call upon a man "slow of speech."
The increase in Egyptian brutality upon the Israelites.
And of course, the ten plagues.

Altogether, there was undoubtedly much fear and much doubt, as the children of Israel "sighed by reason of their bondage."

In Exodus 12:51 the Bible says that God "did" bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt!

He did hear them.
He did deliver them.
He did do what He had promised.
He did prove Himself faithful.

He did!  He did!  He did!

But do you realize that it wasn't until ten chapters later that God did what He did?!  You see, the deliverance of Exodus chapter twelve was the answer to the prayers offered up all the way back in Exodus chapter two!

"And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.  And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them." (Exodus 2:23-25).

There was a long duration of time between Israel's cry for deliverance and God's apparent answer to their cry.  But in that "meantime" there was a lot happening!

God was at work.  God was moving.  God was getting things ready.

Is there something for which you are praying?  Something for which you have been crying out to God?  Do you feel like He's not listening?  Are you tempted to think your prayers are being ignored, or worse yet, that your problems are too big for Him?

Be encouraged...you're probably living in "the meantime" and the process leading up to deliverance has begun!

We don't know all that He's going to do, or when He's going to do it.  But we do know this:

He hears us.
He loves us.
He knows what we need.
His timing is perfect.

And in the "meantime" there is a series of events--a process--that must take place as God works all things together for our good!

"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."

Galatians 6:9