A few days ago, my daughter asked me to order something from Amazon for her. I don’t recall why, but I didn’t order it right away. When she reminded me and I did order it, the expected delivery date was in two days. She explained that if I had ordered sooner, she would’ve had it in one day.
Fast-forward to yesterday and she checked the tracking early in the day, it appeared to be almost at the house. She checked a few hours later, and it was still not delivered. I explained to her that maybe because it was a small package that they might have forgotten to deliver it, as I know that happened to me once before. I was tracking it and then instead of getting closer to my home it started heading towards JFK airport.
The irony is, just last week, late in the evening we had seen a package being delivered in our neighborhood and the time was well after eight and she said she never received a package that late in the evening before. I think I had told her that they would deliver until they were done delivering for the day.
So to experience it less than a week later, of us waiting on a package, the package was not arriving when we expected it to, but at least we had the tracking information and we could see where it was.
Eventually, I saw that the shipping had been updated and they were now two stops away from my house. I wanted to be sure before letting her know, so I waited until it was one stop away and told her that they were finally almost there. Here it was, approximately 8:40 on a Saturday night and the package that she had been waiting for was being delivered.
The thing in the package was such a simple thing too, but it was something that she deeply desired, and I wanted her to have it.
If I were to be honest, I often wonder why God can’t give us the tracking information on our prayers. I’m laughing hysterically, as I’m thinking about this. How cool would it be if we asked for something and we got tracking information; updated moment by moment of when it is to be delivered.
Then, the sobering thought returns: if I had precise tracking information of the prayers that I’ve asked for, I would not need to exercise faith. I would not need to lean in close to hear what God is saying as He whispered to my weary heart not to give up. I would not need to search His words in the Bible to be reminded that He is faithful and He keeps His promises.
So, after I laughed hysterically, wondering why there’s no tracking information on my prayer requests, I am now deeply moved and humbled at the fact that God knows me so well. I know He desires to give me good gifts. The Bible tells me so, because I have searched it in desperation, looking for answers. I know He is faithful to do what he says, again, because I’ve searched His word and believe them.
Friends if you’re like me, and maybe frustrated at not receiving some answered prayers, and not having tracking information for when the prayers will be answered, would you instead ask God to show you the lessons that He is teaching you during this time?
I can confidently say there are things that have been developed in me that would not have been otherwise. I think of the fruit of the spirit found in Galatians 5:22 and 23 which states ‘but the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.’
And maybe, just maybe, these are the gifts that are being developed that would not be developed otherwise.
Dear Heavenly Father, we’ve read that your ways are higher than our ways and your thoughts are higher than ours. Sometimes it is so hard to see and to understand what you’re doing, but Father would you allow us to trust you even when the tracking number is not there? Even when we don’t know when our prayers will be answered or how they will be answered. Would you develop that trust in us that you are a faithful God and Father?