When God Seems Late

“Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”    —John 11:40

A close friend called me the other day to ask for some assistance with a flat tire. She had stopped at the local convenience store/gas station, but the air pump was broken. I immediately dropped what I was doing and ran to help change her tire. On the way, a local tow truck passed me, and I sensed God saying, “You don’t need to change the tire. Simply go to the closest garage and borrow a portable tank of air.” The local garage had a tank that worked like a charm. I was back to my morning schedule after only a few minutes.

If you were caught in a crisis, who would you call? You would probably call someone you felt close to and who would come at a moment’s notice. Mary and Martha were close friends with Jesus. Jesus often stayed at their home in Bethany while visiting Jerusalem. When their brother, Lazarus, was deathly sick, they called Jesus to come and heal Him. The sisters sent word to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick” (John 11:3). Something very surprising happened: Jesus waited two whole days before coming to the aid of His friend “whom He loved.”

Jesus arrived four days after Lazarus’ death. I often wonder what Jesus’ absence must have felt like to His beloved friends. Have you ever prayed for God to answer in a time of crisis? Have you waited and waited in fear and agony with no apparent reply? What do we understand about God’s silence? What does one do when God seems late?

In the Experiencing God study (120), Henry Blackaby urges us to settle in our minds that God has forever demonstrated His unfailing love for us on the cross. That love will never change. When God appears to be silent, we often jump to the conclusion that God has forgotten or forsaken us. We may feel God doesn’t care about us or that God is angry and punishing us because of sin.

There are a couple possible reasons for God’s silence when we pray. Firstly, there may be unconfessed sin in our lives. Secondly, God may be preparing us for a greater revelation. This was the case with Lazarus. Jesus told the disciples, “This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it” (11:4). Jesus repeated to Mary, “Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” (11:40). As Lazarus and his sisters waited in silent fear and pain, Jesus prepared to display His glory through their lives. A few moments later, Jesus “cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come forth’” (11:43). Some Christians believe if Jesus hadn’t said Lazarus’ name, every dead person in the world would have come back to life.

If you have been praying and waiting and questioning, anchor your life in the certainty of God’s love for you. Ask Him to search your heart. If the Holy Spirit reveals any hidden sin, turn from that sin and ask for the forgiveness that Jesus purchased for you on the Cross. If God remains silent and seems to be late, then prepare yourself for a new experience with the Lord. God may be preparing you for a greater revelation of Himself. Jesus may be about to call forth your name.

Remember, if God seems late, it’s for a reason only His Love can explain.