How Long, Oh Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? Psalm 13:3 (NASB)
How many times have you grown weary asking God for something? A good friend of mine once quipped, “Sometimes it takes God a long time to hurry up!” Can you resonate with this statement? Are you, even now, waiting on God for an answer to prayer that seems a LONG time in coming?
My own prayer request seemed like it was in line with God’s will. Our third son, Chris, was diagnosed with Autism in 1989 at the age of two years. At the time, we lived in a remote part of New York State, near Watertown, NY. My husband served at two churches, and we were very busy. This was our first church assignment, and I was quickly learning the ropes of being a minister’s wife. Our oldest son was in first grade. I helped start a co-operative nursery school for our second son located in our church parish hall. The hall was attached to our home.
Chris had a good vocabulary at 18 months, and we were concerned when he suddenly stopped talking. Although busy with many church duties, we knew that we had to find time to get it checked. We suspected a hearing loss, (Chris had several ear infections within a short period of time) but subsequent testing ruled that out. A developmental pediatrician in nearby Syracuse confirmed what we began to fear: a diagnosis of “early infantile autism.”
Unfortunately, the services in northern New York were abysmal. We prayed that God would lead us to a better community where my husband, John, could serve as a minister and Chris could receive the services he needed. God, in His graciousness provided both of those things within six months’ time. John was called to be rector of the local Episcopal church outside of Rochester, and we found a special needs pre-school for Chris. Thankfully, Chris thrived in the programing provided by the school, and I found a support group for moms, like myself, struggling to help our kids in any way possible.
With the help of an aide, LOTS of prayer, and vitamin therapy, Chris was able to be integrated into a regular education classroom by first grade. We certainly had our struggles with Chris’s schooling over the years. However, he graduated with honors from High School. And miracle of miracles, he graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology with a degree in Civil Engineering in 2009.
My husband and I were sure that God would provide a job for Chris in his field! However, Chris was rejected following interview after interview. Over the next several years, he scanned documents for a company named Image Data and worked part-time for the census. Whenever Chris heard about a potential engineering job, he’d get an interview. But the door always closed. At first, Chris asked, “Has God forgotten me?” We would reassure him that, “No, that is not true.” But after four years, we too began to ask Jesus, “Hey Lord, have you forgotten Chris? Do you have an engineering job for him?”
In 2014, my husband, John, received unsolicited interview requests from churches in Florida.
We prayed and felt like God gave us a green light to accept their overtures. Chris was still living at home, and despite his discouragement, he had not given up seeking engineering work. God is good. After being closed for several years, New York State was finally opening their Civil Engineer exams. Chris applied, took the exam, and scored an 85%! Now he could interview with the state and, after his third sit down, he was hired. He’s coming up on his 10-year anniversary.
John received the call to serve at a church in The Villages, FL. We moved in September 2014, the month Chris started his job with the DOT for NY State. Chris was provided a living space in a house with two young Christian engineers. Speaking of timing, each one of them moved out four years later when they each married a wonderful Christian girl. God’s timing may not be ours, that’s for sure.
Maybe right now you are facing a difficult situation with your own family or within your church. I hope that you will find this story an encouragement. God is good, in and out of season. And, yes, sometimes it does seem like it takes God a long time to “hurry up.”
