Persistent Prayer: Lessons from Elijah’s Faith

Hey friend, 

How many times do you ask? How long do you wait? Do you ask once, shrug your shoulders, and walk away in defeat? I have some prayer requests that seem to go unanswered. Just me? Or is there something that you’ve been praying and asking God for without a response? I am so guilty of feeling sorry for myself lately and guilty confession; I’m acting as though he just can’t hear me. I’m acting like his inbox is full, and his voicemail hasn’t been set up yet. I have been acting as though the God of Abraham, Jacob, and Isaac is simply unreachable. Yet, I know that could not be further from the truth. 

Can you imagine if Elijah the prophet did the same? When the widow’s son died, he just asked God to bring him back to life once, shrugged his shoulders, packed his things, and said, “Sorry, Lady. I guess it ain’t gonna happen,” leaving her both wailing and broken-hearted. Imagine if he said, “Hey, so I called, but the line is busy.” But didn’t say that he would try again.

Luckily, verse 21 says, “And he stretched himself out on the child three times, and cried out to the Lord and said, ‘O Lord my God, I pray, let this child’s soul come back to him” (1 Kings 17: 21, NKJV). Three times. Do you think he would have tried again if it hadn’t worked? How many times would Elijah the prophet have asked before giving up? My vote is on at least seven. Verse 22 says, “Then the Lord heard the voice of Elijah, and the soul of the child came back to him, and he revived” (1 Kings 17:22, NKJV).

I can’t help but wonder, did he not hear him the first time? And what about the second? What was he doing between the time Elijah asked and when he finally decided to listen? It’s not as though The Lord is hard of hearing. He wasn’t off changing the battery to his hearing aids. I can’t help but think this is more about us than it is about him. He is just fine with allowing us to wait, to press in, to be diligent in our petitions. And can I be honest? I find it so annoying. “But why, Lord?” I want to cry!

I blame Amazon; it’s their fault. They’ve taught me that I don’t ever have to wait more than a day or two. Everything is instant except with him. “A thousand years is like a day to him.” I can’t help but roll my eyes. But I am waiting. It’s me. Yours truly! And it is taking F-O-R-E-V-E-R. (Yes, that’s like the infamous Sandlot’s “Forever.”) And still nothing. He doesn’t budge. Because he is not a respecter of persons. And if he made Elijah wait, he is likely going to make me wait too. But, I gave up. Yet Elijah didn’t waiver like I do. Elijah was diligent, and his efforts were sustained. It wasn’t a fleeting interest with him. 

So, what if I asked again? What if you asked again? You know what? I wanted specific shelves at Costco. And would you believe it? I couldn’t find them. So, I went back a second time (the very next day.) They still didn’t have them. So, I asked an employee about them. “Oh, they’re on the way! The should be here between the 11th and the 13th.” So, I waited. And, when I went back on the 13th, guess what? They still weren’t there. So, in my desperation (I actually needed them to serve a purpose that day,) I asked an employee for help, and for whatever reason, they decided to help me. They could have turned me away, asking me to return again. But they didn’t. Instead, they checked and said they were on the loading dock. “Are you willing to wait?” They asked. And boy, was I happy too.

I hung out in the aisle for 20 minutes while they searched for them on the dock. And when they brought me one, I apologized and stated that I needed three. “Well then, follow me over to the dock, will you?” Away, I happily went with my cart. If I were a puppy, my tail would have been wagging. I was so excited and eager and so trusting that this Costco employee would help me get the other two which is both convicting and encouraging. I have been asking and asking, praying, negotiating, demanding, bartering, arm wrestling, and even trying to manipulate God into answering my prayer requests.

At one point, I was like Jacob, wrestling with him, refusing to let go until he blessed me. And then, I just gave up. I can’t help but to wonder. Do I really have more faith in Amazon and Costco employees than I do in the God that I profess to love? Elijah, the prophet, acted like God’s word could be trusted, and me? I trust in shipping trackers and the Costco guy. But what if I were more like Elijah the prophet? What if I asked myself, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, follow him.” Just like Elijah asked in 1 Kings 18. What if Elijah sent Ahab to look for rain, and on the sixth time, Ahab said, “Nah. I give up. There’s no rain, my boy.”

But he didn’t. The prophet Elijah was diligent. And he asked again. And on the seventh time, they found a cloud rising up out of the sea. 

So, what if we ask again? And we just kept asking, kinda like the extended car warranty guys. 

We’ve been trying to reach you, 

iK