“And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled” Romans 15: 4 [NLT]
I used to be “annoyed” and ask, why does God keep on giving us more promises, hope and encouragement? Why doesn’t he just give us what we want NOW? Then I realised God already knows we don’t have the patience to wait for His promises to be fulfilled. So He always sends us more and more scriptures to give us hope and encouragement as we wait.
I also didn’t know that hope and encouragement itself is an answer to prayer - A sign and confirmation that He is on our case. How do I know this? King David who knew God better than most of us do, would pray:
I give you thanks, O Lord, with all my heart; I will sing your praises before the gods. I bow before your holy Temple as I worship. I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness; for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name. As soon as I pray, you answer me; you encourage me by giving me strength.
Psalm 138: 1-3 [NLT, author’s emphasis]
How does he give us strength? After prayer, you sometimes read a passage in the bible which suddenly assumes a new meaning through revelation from God speaking to your situation. Sometimes during prayer, you receive a solution which never crossed your mind before. Sometimes he allows you to notice a small ant carrying a huge beetle for food. He is telling you: With the power of my Spirit, you are going to make it, if you keep on trusting the promise I gave you. It’s all about Him and what he says.
Sometimes he makes a stranger smile at you to give you hope. Sometimes it’s just the unexplained inner knowledge and peace that all is going to be well. Sometimes you are prompted to switch your favourite Christian television on (and I would encourage all believers to get connected to Christian TV and to support it) and suddenly you hear the word being preached about exactly what you have been praying for years. If you had not switched on at exactly that time, you would have missed the word. Sometimes he gives you a dream which you need to pray for understanding. Sometimes he gives you a devotional.
If you do not give up (and please don’t look at what God has not done for others you know or what has been traditional in your family e.g. it runs in our family), this is what will happen to you:
Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. James 5:10-11 [NIV]
Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. James 5:17-18 [NIV]
God wants to be asked questions and to be spoken with all the time. He is not an old mean distant “somebody” to be met only once in a while at church on Sunday. He is God to be feared and honoured, but he is also a friend (Jesus says we are his friends) and also a loving Father who always backs his promises with the honor of his name – the Great I AM.
