Delayed But Not Denied

Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of meat to his wife Peninnah and all her sons and daughters. But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her and the Lord had closed her womb. And because the Lord had closed her womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. – 1 Samuel 1:4-6

So in the cause of time Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.” – 1 Samuel 1:20

And the Lord was gracious to Hannah; she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord. – 1 Samuel 2:21

Like Hannah, many of us are waiting on the Lord for something. We pray and pray and it seems our prayers hit the ceiling of heaven and merely fall to the ground unanswered. We are alive but not really living the way we want to. We know that we are destined to be more than we are right now but have no means to get to where we want to be. We cry and cry to the Lord; sleep eludes us and our favorite food just doesn’t taste that good anymore. People around us remind us to be thankful but they have no idea how it feels to be expectant but unable to deliver. Imagine a woman pregnant who cannot put to bed even after her due date has passed; it’s not a comfortable feeling. It is not as if we are not grateful to God for what we have right now but when a great need hasn’t been met, what one already has seems to lack the importance and value that it truly holds. I can identify with this kind of feeling – I am living in that town right now; the town of delay.

But I know enough to remind myself, and hopefully to encourage you that delay is not denial. God himself closed Hannah’s womb. How else do you get a testimony without adversity? Hannah herself testifies in 1 Samuel 2:6 that it is indeed the Lord that brings death and makes alive. The same God who closed her womb opened it up for her to have sons and daughters but in his own time. How we need to learn to be grateful at all times – even while we wait. I can testify that this is one of the hardest things to do. God answers all prayers. There are three ways he can answer – Yes, No and Wait. He knows the perfect time for us because He can see the end from the beginning. He can see around corners and bends that we have no visibility to. He knows and wants what is best for us.

Just like God had a plan for Hannah, He has a plan for us. All we need to do is trust Him and give glory to His Name. God will be there for us; He is always comes just in the nick of time. Believe that the delay you are experiencing right now does not mean denial. You will get there someday.