When lightning streaks across the sky and we hear a clap of thunder, we see the lightning well ahead of hearing the sound. Of course there’s a scientific explanation for this, but it’s also a great illustration of how God answers prayer.

I think of the heartfelt longings parents have for their children, praying fervently over them for literally decades, waiting and waiting for results. We pray for the sick to be healed and for those suffering pain to be set free, but nothing happens. We cry out to God to save the lost and strengthen the weak. And widows beg him to rescue them from despondency, fear or loneliness. Why doesn’t he answer?

All of us can be overcome by discouragement when we pray and don’t see quick answers, but despite feeling that God doesn’t always hear us, he does. And he always answers. I believe as our prayers reach him, whether they’re uttered with eloquent words or tearful moans, he puts his answers into motion right then.

I like to picture my life on a timeline. A dot somewhere on the line represents my current dilemma and my plea for God’s help. He immediately places another dot on the line representing his answer, but not necessarily right next to where I am. From my spot, I can’t see his dot, but it’s sitting there, down the line.

Day by day I move closer to his dot, his answer. During moments when I feel he hasn’t heard or maybe doesn’t care, I tell myself the dot is perched somewhere ahead of me, awaiting my arrival. Just knowing I’ll eventually come to it causes me to wait better.

From God’s vantage point, the entire time line in visible, starting with the dot representing my birth to the one marking my death. He’s interested in what happens all along the line, not just at any one point. If I don’t see or hear him immediately after I pray, this should never be cause for doubting that he has already acted on my behalf.

Scripture is full of references to the proper timing of events: “about that time, when the time had come, in the fullness of time, at the appointed time, in the course of time.” We’ve all heard the expression, “Timing is everything,” and of course God’s timing is never off. We may not like where he puts his answer-dot, but his placement is made with precision and purpose.

As sure as lightning follows thunder, his answers will follow our prayers… even though they may not come lightning-fast.

“In my distress I called to the Lord; I called out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came to his ears. Out of the brightness of his presence bolts of lightning blazed forth. The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded. He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.” (2 Samuel 22:7,13-14,17)