Walking into a bustling restaurant is always an exciting experience. You take in all the cool lighting and decor and you can smell the delicious food being prepared. You’re having a great time laughing and chatting with friends, and now it’s your turn to place your order. You express to the waiter what you would like to eat and now the anticipation begins. 10 minutes go by, then 15, then 20, and the next thing you know you’re an hour into waiting and questioning why you even came to the dinner in the first place. Maybe this type of scenario resembles your prayer life. Maybe right now you’re in  a season of waiting in prayer. As Jesus explains in Luke 11, sometimes prayers are answered simply on account of your persistence. In seasons of anticipation our faith is tested and strengthened through persistence. We can look back and see that God always answers our prayers, but not always how we envision. His response may be yes, no, or not right now. Many of the saints in the bible left earth without seeing their prayers answered on their timing, yet their faith never wavered. In the end, what pleases God most is our trust in him, knowing that because of who he is, our prayers never die.

//The purpose of prayer is not to get man’s will done in heaven but to get God’s will done on earth//

1. Preparation

When speaking with God, we sometimes feel upset when the answer to our prayers is ‘no’ or ‘not right now.’ Rather than losing faith we can believe that God is preparing us to receive the blessing. Although our prayers may not be answered in the time we want or in the way we would like, it’s important to keep faith that God is preparing us to fulfill the purpose He has for us.

1 Chronicles 29:16

“O Lord our God, all this abundance that we have prepared to build You a house for Your holy name is from Your hand, and is all Your own.”

2. Patience

An abundant harvest requires great patience. It takes time for a seed to blossom into a beautiful flower. For the process of transformation to occur, a seed must grow in darkness and solitude. In our valley, we may experience suffering but in that time God develops our character, integrity, and builds a firm foundation of faith. How we act in those moments is more important than what we're praying for. When we practice patience, the depth of our gratitude is greater. Like a seed, properly planted, pruned, and nourished, God will allow you to blossom into his glory.

"What God does in us while we wait is as important as what we are waiting for." John Ortberg

It is not about the promise, it is about the promise giver. The process of praying and waiting for the answer allows us to grow in godly character. We do not always see the fruition of our prayers. Our prayers may be the foundation of the next generation’s purpose or generations to come. Our prayers have ageless impact and God will always fulfill His promises just not on our timescale. As we seek to know God in prayer, He will change our hearts and our prayers will line up with His will. God may be using your prayers today to cry out for the revival of future generations.