why are some prayers seemingly only answered over long periods of time

 

1. Sometimes the period of waiting becomes more beautiful than the actual answer.

2. Sometimes the answer is made more beautiful by the period of waiting.

3. Sometimes the wait results in our learning something or becoming something. Monica prayed for the conversion of her son Augustine for 30 years. At the end of that time they were both saints.

4. Sometimes God uses our wait to touch others.

5. Sometimes there are very practical things which we can do towards the fulfilment of the answer which we're not bothered doing.