A visitor to this web site wrote:

I am a forty one year old widower with a small child. It seems like all my prayers are answered but I'm still waiting for another mate. I want a good woman who is "God fearing". It seems like everytime I try to get something going on my own something goes wrong. The wait - although I feel a certain assurance - is sometimes terrible. Any thoughts?

Yes, waiting is the hard part of receiving from God. This is why we need patience. Patience is the power to see things through. It is part of the fruit of the spirit (Gal.5:22-23) and it is built up in us as we let trials be a work out for it.

"Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."

James 1:2-4 - NKJV

Our faith sets us off towards what we have an inner vision or desire (hope) for and patience keeps us going until we reach or possess that vision or desire. It was by letting the force of patience hold them on a course of faith that our ancestors in the faith came to the place of inheriting what had been promised them.

Imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises."

Hebrews 6:12 - NKJV

Hope has a key role to play in maintaining the force of patience strong in us. Paul tells us,

"If we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it."

Romans 8:25 - NKJV

How do we have keep ourselves in an abundance of hope? Paul tells us that too,

"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Romans 15:13 - NKJV

You can find out more about the importance and work of hope by reading my class Anchor of the Soul.

Praying in the Holy Spirit also helps maintain the force of patience in us. Paul writes,

"Likewise (like hope does) the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses...the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us..."

Romans 8:26 - NKJV

We are kept looking to Jesus and His care when we pray in the Spirit. Jude 20-21

You can read more on praying in the Spirit on this web site.

So you see while you're hanging in there until you receive there are a number of things you can be doing. Let me list what we have seen so far -

• pray to be filled with joy and peace in believing
• give the Holy Spirit opportunity to cause hope to be overflowing in you
• pray in the Holy Spirit

There are other things you should do too that will shorten the time before the answer manifests. You should ask for wisdom.

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given him."

James 1:5 - NKJV

Ask for wisdom for how to handle the trial you're going through and wisdom to act so your deliverance or salvation is speedy. God will give you the wisdom that is from above and you will need to consistently and diligently walk in it.

"The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and hypocrisy."

James 3:18 - NKJV

Finally, don't look at what's going on around you as gauge of the closeness of the answer manifesting. Keep looking towards Jesus your Lord and the precious promises of His Word. (2 Cor.4:16-18)

You might like to think of it like a train journey. The scenery out of the windows merely tells you your temporal setting at any given moment. In itself it tells you nothing at all of where you are headed or how close you are to your destination. (Unless of course you've been that way before and then your experience of the journey tells you something of these things.)

Your answer may be just around the bend. Hang in there looking to Jesus! (Heb.12:1-2)

God bless you!