"Lord, why have You deserted me? I prayed about this problem yesterday and the answer hasn't come. Why?" Have you ever felt like this? Could this be your prayer tonight? If so, I'd like to encourage you with a new perspective on what God may be doing in your life.

We live in a culture geared toward instant gratification. No matter what we want, we want it instantly. Unfortunately, this attitude has also crept into our prayer lives, and when circumstances don't change immediately, we wonder if God has let us down.

The Lord gave me insight on this issue as I read the book of Daniel. When Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were threatened with death in the furnace if they did not worship King Nebuchadnezzar's god, they gave an amazing reply. They said: "If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods..." (Daniel 3:17-18, NIV).

Notice that the trust these men had in God did not depend on getting an answer to their immediate dilemma - as serious as it was! They trusted God for the larger picture. They had perfect faith in the fact that no matter how the current situation turned out, their confidence was still in God's everlasting love, power and ultimate faithfulness!

This is the kind of faith God wants to instill in you tonight. Immediate answers are not always best in the long run. Have patience and trust Him for the larger picture.