When Deliverance Is Deferred

“Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing; heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled. My soul also is greatly troubled. But you, O Lord—how long?” (Psalm 6:2-3, ESV). One cry from David encompassed all of his sufferings: “O Lord—how long?” 

I have cried out like David over my anguished trials. “Lord, how long will I have sleepless nights over my prodigal son? How long till my back injury heals? Will this threat of cancer last my whole life?”

God’s goodness is often revealed in deferring our deliverance. With a mere snap of his finger, a wink of his eye or a breath from his nostrils, God could resolve every one of our trials and sufferings. Instead, is the Lord working a greater purpose in our lives than what could be accomplished through an instantaneous deliverance? 

From the end of David’s story, we know that God was doing just that. He was deferring deliverance for his servant with something greater in mind, not only for the king but also for the nation of Israel. Thus, the words “How long?” are meant to be instructive. They are a cry of continued longing.

You see, as long as we cry these two words, a great work is taking place in our hearts. “How long?” is not just a cry of longing but a cry of faith; it is uttered from a deep knowledge that God does indeed deliver. From Genesis to Revelation, God’s Word makes clear that when people find themselves in a terrible situation, they can turn to him, and he will deliver them faithfully. 

The truth is that God’s deferring of our deliverance is where the rubber meets the road in terms of our faith. God is good when he defers our deliverance. Every promise of God is true; he never lies. If his promises are delayed, it is not because he’s incapable of delivering us; but rather it’s meant for his greater purposes. 

God is working for some greater good in our lives, souls, hearts, minds and relationships with him. We can be sure that an amazing, eternal work is being accomplished from within our every cry. 

^{This devotional has been adapted from Gary Wilkerson’s book, The Altar of Our Hearts: An Expository Devotional on the Psalms.}