Spirit of God, teach me the patience of unanswered prayer

Friends are lovingly encouraging me to “be patient” when I get my hopes up and then end up feeling discouraged and disappointed in this rehab and recovery time. It’s a waiting time, one step forward, two steps back. It’s one of “longsuffering,” God’s word for “patience.”

Are you waiting for God to answer your prayers for something? Have you been waiting for many years? Are you “longsuffering” too, in the ups and downs of a long trial? 

How could this waiting time be His answer to our constant, seemingly unanswered prayers?

Teach me to feel that Thou art always nigh;
Teach me the struggles of the soul to bear,
To check the rising doubt, the rebel sigh;
Teach me the patience of unanswered prayer.

(“Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart,” Croly, G., 1854)

I wrote a prayer seven months before God miraculously revealed a lifesaving brain surgery to me. I wrote before any possible treatment was available…before we learned He’d mercifully planned a “yes” answer. 

As I read and share these words now, He is again ministering to me through His gospel promises, and I’m praying He will do the same for you…as we both wait.

Lord, fill me the fruit of Your patience

My patient Father, my suffering feels so long right now. So, please grow Your “patience” fruit in me, replacing my natural impatience with this continual discomfort. Along with all of Your perfect creation directly affected by the fall into sin, I “groan inwardly” as I wait.¹ 

Amid ongoing trouble, help me to be patient as Galatians 5, the fruit of Your indwelling Spirit, patient as “longsuffering.”

I praise You for being “slow to anger.”² This definition of “patient” is humbling when I re-realize how much I deserved Your anger for my sin against You. But this is who You are—so patient!

Fill me with Your Spirit. For You are:

Father, when I feel discouraged, encourage me with the gospel, with Your patience once again

You’re so patient with me that You gave Jesus for me. You gave me to Jesus. Not only are You slow to anger, but You’ve completely satisfied Your rightful anger and judgment for sin, for those in Christ. 

Father, this suffering is not Your anger toward me! You’ve completely lifted this from me in Your love and grace. It’s all forever gone! I am now Your beloved, fully accepted and forgiven in Christ! Oh, Father, how can I thank you enough? 

Maybe remembering Your gospel gift will help me continually re-turn to Jesus in my impatience. For it’s in the hard waiting as I suffer that You promise to give me patience.

Hast thou not bid us love thee, God and King? All, all thine own,

soul, heart, and strength, and mind. 

I see the cross–there teach my heart to cling:
O let me seek thee, and O let me find.

Lord, when I’m disappointed because I’ve set my hope on something I want in my desired timing…

Spirit of God, descend upon my heart; 

wean it from earth, through all its pulses move;

You promise to strengthen me with Your power, according to Your “glorious might,” for “all endurance and patience with joy.”³

Patience to endure suffering is a gift from You, glorious and mighty Lord! Why? 

My need for patience turns me to You for help, for I’m actually waiting patiently for You.

Father, re-set my hope with complete trust in what You’re doing as You bring Your children to Christ!

I’m excitedly waiting for the adoption and redemption of my body, with a sure hope in what I can’t see, the eternal things.⁴ Because, as I “longsuffer,” I long for my true home, now a citizen of heaven.⁵ I’m waiting for You to consummate Your kingdom! I’m often impatiently waiting for Jesus to return while knowing that You aren’t slow in fulfilling Your glorious promise in the way I would consider time. 

Therefore, brothers and sisters, be patient until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth and is patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near (Jas. 5:7-8 CSB).

No, You’re waiting for each of Your children (and I constantly pray for them) to “reach repentance.”⁶

So, help me to:

Rejoice in hope,

be patient in tribulation,

be constant in prayer (Rom. 12:12 ESV).

Loving God, You are indeed working in and through this longsuffering time, as You grow Your fruit of patience within me, as I wait for Your promises to all come true in the end.

In the name of my beloved Lord and Savior, God and King, Jesus Christ, amen.

Material adapted from Praying God’s Promises Into Suffering: A Devotional Bible Study Prayer Journal, Lauri A. Hogle, © 2023

A playlist to re-set my patience and hope…in Your patience

This week’s emailed YouTube playlist gift is filled with songs I need when my Father’s answer is, “Wait, my beloved daughter.” These songs re-focus my hope on His love for me in Christ and the zillions of ways He’s always at work. Every day, I need His re-setting fruit of patience; these songs are His help. Sister in Christ, if you are also “longsuffering,” I’d love to share them with you, too, so we can both “rejoice in hope” in this journey of tribulation. Sign up if you’d like them! Praying the playlists or anything else below might help.

First Name

Email address:

Leave this field empty if you’re human:

1. Romans 8:22-23 ↩︎
2. Psalm 86:15 ↩︎
3. Colossians 1:11 ↩︎
4. Romans 8:23-25; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18; Hebrews 11:1 ↩︎
5. Philippians 3:20 ↩︎
6. 2 Peter 3:8-9 ↩︎