Stop… Pray… Wait…

“Then the King asked me, “What is your request?” So, I prayed to the God of heavens and answered the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor with you, send me to Judah and to the city where my ancestors are buried, so that I may rebuild it.”

Nehemiah 2:4,5

When Nehemiah learned that the wall of Jerusalem had been broken down, he wept, mourned, fasted, and prayed to his heavenly King before seeking permission from his earthly king for help. Then he waited, and waited… (Read Nehemiah 1)

Rather than rush ahead, Nehemiah had the wisdom to wait for God’s answer. It didn’t come until three months later when the king noticed his dejection.  “What is it you want?”

Although Nehemiah was afraid, he knew his God was in control. Still, rather than blurt out his request, he silently prayed before answering.

We can all take a lesson from Nehemiah. In this fast-paced world, where we are used to instant gratification and quick responses, we can easily rush ahead of God and go it alone. Pray? Who has time?

But that’s not what the Lord desires of us. He wants our hearts and our requests. He wants us to seek His wisdom and trust that He will provide every answer—in His perfect time.

Will spending time in prayer make our lives less busy? Probably not. But doing so offers us the opportunity to have a less busy heart, and with that comes the opportunity to develop an inner quiet where we will be more apt to hear God’s still, calm voice.

By spending time with our Father in prayer, we integrate our hearts with His. Our lives are then calmer, even in the midst of stress and confusion.

Heavenly Father, we ask that you give us the wisdom, as you did for Nehemiah, to bring all of our concerns to You. Give us the patience to then wait for your answer rather than rushing ahead in our limited strength and perspective. Help us trust You completely, knowing that You hold every one of us in Your sovereign hands. In Jesus’ mighty name we pray.

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