From the archives of Oral Roberts – Second of four parts
Many times a pregnant woman will reach the point where she is weary in flesh ― the baby has grown so large and she finds it hard to sleep at night, awkward to move about, difficult to eat or even to dress herself ― and she will say, “Oh, I would just love to have this baby today and get this pregnancy over with.” But the doctors say, “Wait.”
“Wait” is sometimes God’s answer to us. And just as the doctor tells the pregnant woman to wait in order that her baby might have the opportunity to be born with greater health, so God’s answer to us is for our good.
David said in Psalm 40:1-3, “I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established by goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.” David waited on the Lord because that was what the Lord called him to do. Waiting was God’s answer. It was for David’s greater good ― that he might be firmly established in his inner man and experience a new joy in his spirit.
After the Lord healed me of tuberculosis, with which I was terminally ill as a young man, I became worried from time to time because my body remained so weak. My mother said to me, “Oral, It will take a while for God to restore your strength. Wait on Him.” That was good advice. I refused to doubt my healing, and as I waited on God to restore me completely, my strength did return.
God has a purpose in answering your prayer by saying, “Wait.” Look for God to do an inner work in you as you wait on Him. You can trust His purpose to be for your good.
