Between the prayer and the answer, there is faith.

Lately, every Sunday, my niece checks in with me. She usually sends a text, and I respond with a summary of how my week went. But one of our recent conversations got me thinking and inspired me to write this message today.

I had sent her a “before and after” picture of myself from an Owanbe party — the first photo with my simple look before the event, and the second after my gele was tied. I told her that tying a gele at a Nigerian party costs $25, but trust me, it makes you look like a million dollars! Later, as I looked at those pictures again, I found myself reflecting deeply.

Many of us love the “after.” We love the finished product — the breakthrough, the testimony, the answered prayer. We focus so much on that stage that when we pray, we often become impatient. We forget, as someone once said, that between the prayer and the answer, there is a waiting period. And in that waiting period, there is faith.

Think about it: I have to part with $25 just to get my gele tied. Sometimes, I pray that the gele stylist arrives before the event starts. Other times, I hope there won’t be a long queue. Most times, I even pray that the style I love will be available.

That’s exactly how life is. We pray for situations to change — for promotion, exam success, a relationship, or relocation. But then comes the waiting period, and it’s not always easy. Waiting can be hard. It can fill us with anxiety and doubt. There are moments we might even start to wonder, Maybe it’s not going to happen.

But in those moments, remember this: God is strengthening you in the waiting. Hold on to faith and keep your eyes fixed on the promise. Visualize the answered prayer and what it will look like when it comes to pass. And if the wait seems longer than you expected, please don’t give up. Delay does not mean denial.

Look forward to the day you will testify — the day you will tell your story and say, “It took a while, but God did it.”

Written by Ibukun Ogunsina,
New Beginnings Barrie,
Psychotherapy and Counselling Services.
Website: www.newbeginningsbarrie.com
E-mail: inquiry@newbeginningsbarrie.com
Tel: +1 705 241 8456