While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John.

Luke 1:11-13 (NLT)

 

Elizabeth and Zechariah have both suffered and endured the painful shame of barrenness for a long time. They lived in a time where barrenness was seen as a curse or a punishment from God. Still, they served God faithfully, and God remembered them.

Perhaps you may be in a season where nothing appears to go right, and everything seems to slip through your hands. The weariness of waiting and wondering may be overwhelming and difficult. However, it is important not to have an orphan spirit because you feel God has not heard your prayers. Rather, it is wise to learn from the example of Elizabeth and Zechariah. They continue to worship even if they cannot enjoy the life they desired.

Worship may not change our circumstances, but it changes the way we see our circumstances. This enables us to see fingerprints of God’s goodness and grace all over our lives.

God may not seem to move quickly, but He will move suddenly.

The angel Gabriel assured Zechariah that God had heard his prayer, even if it appears unanswered. God’s silence is not a denial, but a detour to something more than we can imagine. This should give us hope and courage to get through life, even when everything seems impossible and beyond our reach.