Why does God wait so long to do what we are hoping He will do? And I mean long in the sense that from our perspective it would make perfect sense for God to immediately do what we are wanting Him to do. There is a strange verse in John 11 where the story of the raising of Lazarus is found. The sisters of Lazarus send word to Jesus that Lazarus is ill. Look carefully at the next few verses:
4 But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it. 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. (John 11:4-6)
Verse 6 is so strange to me. The reason he stayed two days longer was because he loved them!? He delayed going to Lazarus because He loved Him! The logical thing to do would be to catch a camel ride and go heal him! But He doesn’t because He loved him too much for that. He wanted Lazarus and all the people to witness His glory in a way they had never seen.
Seeing Christ glorified is far better than instant gratification and results! This is why, I am convinced, that God delays His love and provision and why He doesn’t always answer prayers immediately. He is preparing to do something in and through us that we never expected and when it finally comes to fruition, we see Him glorified in far greater ways than we would had He worked on our timetable.
GB
