This post was inspired by a recent conversation with a friend who was wondering how much she should wait on God and how much she should do on her own.
It’s Just the Big Stuff, Right?
You don’t have to ask God about everything, right? That’s a little much! Don’t you only need to ask Him what to do with the big decisions, like where to move or something expensive to buy?
Well, no. At least, I don’t think so. Perhaps it may seem a little overboard to ask God which pair of socks to wear each day, but you should at least be talking to God about everything! Where to go, what to do, who to talk to, etc. He cares about each of us and our boring, daily lives!
However, it may not come easy to you—I know it doesn’t for me. I have a hard time thinking about God all the time, for sure! In 1 Thessalonians 5:17, the Bible tells us to:
Pray without ceasing.
How in the world are we supposed to do that? We have to do other stuff as well, right? Like, live life?
It may seem next to impossible to pray all the time without stopping. But in my experience, the more you do it, the easier it gets to pray more often. This is what I told my friend.
At work, I’ll sometimes just say hello to God and talk about what I’m struggling with. When one of my coworkers brings up family or medical issues, I’ll pray for them immediately and tell them that I did. Once, my elderly coworker, Elizabeth, was in a lot of pain from medical complications, and I told her, “I’m praying for you, and I will continue to do so.”
“Thank you. I need it,” she told me. I felt wonderful after that and glad I’d spoken up about it. This is the blessing that comes from prayer!
Back to my friend. She was confused as to how much to pray, as I mentioned. I told her that there’s never too much prayer! Whenever you think of it, pray! This will build a habit, and then you won’t forget.
But what about the small things? She wasn’t convinced. What’s the use of asking God which color socks to wear? Often, prayers don’t get answered right away, so then you’d have to go barefoot for the rest of the day!
In my opinion, it’s good just to mention it. To show God that you’re thinking of Him and value His opinion. And while it may not truly matter which color of socks you pick, it will still help build that habit of prayer.
But this brought up another topic: the one that I wanted to cover most.
How Long Should I Wait?
This especially applies to the big stuff, not just socks. You’ve prayed and asked God for something or about something. Prayer for someone’s health, a big financial decision, or planning a trip, for example.
How long should you wait for God’s answer?
In the Bible, there are many instances of delayed answers. Hannah, for example, prayed for a son for years before God gave her Samuel.
Or the restoration of Israel. Many prophets prayed for Israel to be a nation again, but that took hundreds of years!
Joseph prayed for two years to be released from prison before the butler remembered him and told Pharaoh about him.
The Isrealites prayed for the Messiah for hundreds of years before He came.
Jesus prayed for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven, and we’re still waiting on that one!
And one more example: this one very close to me.
I heard about the Author Conservatory and wanted to join it in February of 2022. I prayed about it for nearly a year before God told me yes! In December 2022, I signed up to join in February of 2023, and that’s where I am now. I believe God was preparing my heart and getting me ready to get as much out of that amazing program as I could.
So my ultimate answer is, keep praying about it until you get an answer. Maybe not about the socks, but definitely about the trip or house or other big decisions! And perhaps God won’t answer your prayer the way you wanted or expected, but that’s ok. Don’t let that stop your prayers!
Although my friend seemed a little discouraged about this, I tried to encourage her. I told her that even if she doesn’t hear God’s voice in answer, she can ask for wisdom in making a decision. Sometimes the answer is found by the reading of God’s Word or the leading of the Holy Spirit!
The right choice will always ultimately lead to life and blessing. And with God’s wisdom, you will be able to discern between them! God is always with you and willing to help if you ask. Just be patient for His answer, and trust Him.
God bless,
Janet