I’ll admit it…

I get discouraged sometimes. Like you, I have a few things I’ve prayed about for YEARS and the wait continues.

Most of the time I can just keep praying them with a kind of “it is what it is” attitude … my way to trying to be okay with the situation. But other times, waiting is hard and I wonder if I should just quit bombarding the gates of heaven with this prayer.

It’s not that I don’t believe God is able but there are other people involved and well, people have free will.

I read these words the other day…

“Is anything too hard for the Lord.”

Genesis 18:14

The Lord spoke those words to Abraham.

Why?

Because Abraham had begun to wonder … to quit hoping.

Can you blame him? I sure can’t.

He was almost one hundred years old and Sarah was almost ninety when the Lord visited them and told them they were about to finally have the son they had been promised decades earlier.

Yep, Abraham questioned and Sarah laughed. I probably would have done the same.

And the Lord replied, “Is anything too hard for the Lord.”

Then look at the account of Jeremiah…

God told Jeremiah to buy a field just north of Jerusalem and Jeremiah obeyed but he also questioned…

 O Sovereign Lord, you have told me to buy the field—paying good money for it before these witnesses—even though the city will soon be handed over to the Babylonians.

Jeremiah 32:25

God told Jeremiah to buy the field as a promise that He would bring the people home after 70 years.

Imagine God asking you to buy a home in an area that He has also told you is about to be captured and almost all of the people including you are going to be taken captive and hauled away to another country.

You might be wondering … WHY?

Seriously, even if some of the people do come back there’s no guarantee that property deed will even be acknowledged.

You might even be asking … WHY?

And that’s okay. Look at God’s patient loving reply…

 “I am the Lord, the God of all the peoples of the world. Is anything too hard for me?“

Jeremiah 32:27

What Sarah, Abraham, and Jeremiah learned is the answer to that question is always…

No!

Nothing is too hard for God!

Abraham and Sarah had a son and God’s people returned home.

But throughout those decades of waiting, I would imagine there were many times when they wondered if they’d heard God right, times when they began to doubt, and even times when hope began to fade.

Maybe you can relate.

Maybe like me, you have something or several somethings, you’ve prayed about for years … even decades. The wait is long and hard … possibly even painful. You’re discouraged and even starting to question if you should be crying out to God day after day after day.

Today, I’m hear to remind you and me because truthfully, I need to hear it too…

Nothing is too hard for God!

Nothing! Absolutely nothing!

Your broken relationship is not too hard for God.
Your illness is not too hard for God.
Your loneliness is not too hard for God.
Your broken heart is not too hard for God.
Your doubts are not too hard for God.
Your longings are not too hard for God.

Nothing is too hard for Him!

But in all honesty, waiting is hard. So, I’m grabbing hold of verses to hold close when the wait is hard, when my heart heavy and when doubt creeps in because God’s Word tells us exactly what to do in those moments.

Never stop praying. 

1 Thessalonians 5:17

Jesus told a story to teach His disciples this lesson.

Jesus told His disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.

Luke 18:1

He went on to tell about a widow who goes to a judge night and day pleading with him to rule in her favor over a dispute with her enemy. And he finally does…

You and I can be persistent in our prayers.

The Life Application Bible Notes describe persistent prayer this way…

Constant prayer means keeping our requests continually before God as we live for Him day by day believing He will answer. Then live by faith and don’t give up. God may delay answering but His delays always have good reasons. And as we persist in prayer, we grow in character, faith, and hope. (LAB notes for Luke 18:1)

Remember, Jesus also said…

All things are possible with God!

Mark 10:27

And…

 I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.

Luke 11:9

And Paul wrote…

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen

Ephesians 3:20–21

Paul, the one who was persecuted, stoned, beaten, whipped, and imprisoned.

And what does he say about hope?

Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. 

Romans 4:18

Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.

Romans 12:12

Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.

Romans 15:4

And the writer of Hebrews wrote…

This High Priest [Jesus] of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same testings we do, yet He did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

Hebrews 4:15-16

And…

Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep His promise.

Hebrews 10:23

Friend, even while you and I wait. Even when we get discouraged and feel like giving up … God is faithful to give us what we need.

And I don’t know about you, but what I need is…

Faith to trust that God is doing what is best even when it doesn’t feel like it.
Forgiveness when I fall short of His will for me.
Hope to never give up.
Peace to calm me when life overwhelms me.
Patience to remain persistent in prayer.
Strength to keep doing what He calls me to do each day.
Wisdom to know His will and make godly decisions.
Comfort to get me out of bed when my heart hurts.
Guidance to know His will.
Courage to face the day when I want to hide in bed.
Love to give back to Him and give to others.

Jesus, all I need today and eternally.

David wrote…

You, Lord, are all I have, and You give me all I need; my future is in Your hands.

Psalm 16:5

And Paul wrote…

For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for His glory.

2 Corinthians 1:20

I know waiting with hope is hard. And some days I too, take my eyes off Jesus and stare straight at the circumstances that are unchanged. Yes, I wonder if I should just give up and stop bothering God with the same old plea.

But then … I stop and I reread Jesus’ words about persistent prayer and I remember that He sometimes allows me to wait because He is busy working on my heart.

And as He works on my heart I will continue to pray the words of Jeremiah…

“O Sovereign Lord! You made the heavens and earth by Your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for You!”

Jeremiah 32:17

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