Before we set up a branch of our church in Lagos, I remember going there for a meeting at a time. I checked into a hotel that was contiguous to the meeting place. On my first night, I placed order for dinner and it was like taking forever to arrive. An hour later, I called room service again. I had hoped that they would act on my protest and bring my meal. Another half hour had sped by yet no knock at my door. I thought within me that there was nothing to write home about when a hotel could not deliver order promptly. I called room service the second time and really yelled at the other end of the phone. But the fault was mine. While placing my order, I had informed them that I was in room 222 but in reality, I was in room 322. The food had been long prepared and taken to the room I wrongly gave them. When there was no response from that room, the waiter returned to the kitchen in frustration. Meanwhile, I was seething with anger. I felt embarrassed at my folly when the waiter eventually brought the food and I had to apologize.

“Next time you encounter delay, take stock…If it is God, learn to patiently endure; if it is the devil, rebuke him; and if it is you, amend your ways.”

The Bible makes it plain that God delights to answer our prayers. Isaiah said His ears are not deaf that He cannot hear; neither is His hand short that He cannot save. Apart from the devil that may like to block our answers like he did in the case of Daniel, our own error may be another likely cause of delay. For example, every sin we commit only prolong the process. It is reasonable enough to contend that we cannot be in sin and expect grace to abound. Next time you encounter delay, take stock. Is it God that is waiting and maturing you for what you prayed for? Is it the devil resisting you? Or, is it you standing in your own way? If it is God, learn to patiently endure; if it is the devil, rebuke him; and if it is you, amend your ways.