Waiting For God To Act

How long, O God, will you allow our enemies to insult you?

Will you let them dishonor your name forever?

Why do you hold back your strong right hand?

Unleash your powerful fist and destroy them. . . .

Arise, O God, and defend your cause.

Remember how these fools insult you all day long.

Don’t overlook what your enemies have said

or their growing uproar.

Psalm 74:10-11, 22-23

How often does God listen to our impatient prayers? Nothing reveals our lack of faith more than impatient “why” and “how long” prayers. Yet God arranged that even prayers like these were recorded in Scripture. Here, the psalmist cried out to the Lord to defend his holy name from those who “dishonor” and “insult” him. He wanted God to take revenge swiftly against those people. Although the Lord doesn’t always tell us when he will act, we can be confident that at the right time he will do what needs to be done.

God wants us to express our feelings and urgent requests to him. Pray against the enemies of faith with conviction. But also trust him for the future, since the final results will always remain in his able hands.

• O God, why do you hold back your strong right hand? Arise and defend your cause . . .