"But God had listened to Abraham’s request and kept Lot safe, removing him from the disaster that engulfed the cities on the plain" (Gen 19:29)

Sodom is Destroyed

Abraham hardly slept after his conversation with the Lord about Sodom. All he could hear was, "I will not destroy the city if I find ten righteous in it." Early the next morning, he hastened to the location where he had stood before the Lord and made his plea on behalf of Sodom. As his eyes adjusted to the haze around him, he looked out across the plain toward Sodom and Gomorrah and saw thick black smoke rising from the land, like a burning furnace. True to His Word, the Lord had destroyed the cities; He had not found up to ten righteous people there. What mattered most to Abraham was that Lot his nephew, and his family had been in the city of Sodom.  From what Abraham was seeing, nothing, and no one had been spared. There was no physical way of knowing if or how the Lord had answered his request. Nevertheless, He had. A short while later, Abraham moved South to the Negev.

A few years ago, my family was praying for a specific issue, and we were constantly on the lookout for proof that our prayers were answered. However, every time we checked, the results were the same.  And every time we saw nothing, the more my disappointment deepened, until finally I stopped thinking or praying about it.  In the meantime, the Lord had repeatedly given us His word about the matter. But we were looking for the physical evidence to prove what He had told us. It did not come.

Because the truth is, even when we cannot see

 the answer right away, God is at work. 

Waiting on God’s timing and trusting 

His unseen hand can be hard, 

but it’s also where our faith grows strongest

We have all been there. We pray, pour out our hearts, and wait with hope—but it seems like nothing happens. This feeling can be especially overwhelming when our prayers are for our families, our children, or situations that feel urgent. It is  easy to wonder, “God, are You really listening?” 

Like Abraham, you want to know if what you prayed for came to pass.  And we usually want more than His word.  We want physical evidence. The more you look, though, the more smoke (the situation) you see.  The very thing you had hoped would not happen. However, the Lord had declared to His disciples in John 2:28–29, "Blessed are those who do not see, but yet believe," in response to Thomas's request for a tangible proof. Because the truth is, even when you cannot see the answer right away, God is at work. Waiting on God’s timing and trusting His unseen hand can be hard, but it’s also where your faith grows strongest. 

We walk by faith, and not by sight. Faith in the nature, integrity, and character of God. Faith in His infallible word. Tangible proofs can inspire us, particularly when they are positive. However, our main piece of evidence is His Word.  His word is your assurance. His word must always be enough for you to believe and receive whatever you ask for in prayer.  His word gives you the peace and joy that you need to physically receive what you asked Him for. It is more reliable than what you can see, hear, or feel.  And no matter what it looks like, or how long it takes, as long as you keep believing what He says, the physical evidence will come.