God desires to save every person (Ezekiel 33:11). Regardless of how long it takes to see your loved ones come to know the Lord, stand on the promises of Christ and He will not fail you. The key is to pray, wait, and trust.
Pray. Never underestimate the power of prayer. You may be frustrated thinking that you've seen no change in circumstances since you began to pray, but don't worry. Jesus told His disciples to pray and not give up (Luke 18:1). Your loved ones are held captive by an evil foe who came to kill, steal, and destroy, but Jesus came that they might have life and have it more abundantly. God directs us to pray for our children: "Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the watches; pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord. Lift your hands toward Him for the life of your young children" (Lamentations 2:19). Continue praying. God hears, and He will answer in His time.
Wait. You have prayed, now wait on God. He is working behind the scenes, completing His work on both you and your loved ones. Remember the words of Psalm 62:5: "My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him." When you tire, claim the promise of Isaiah 40:31: "But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength." As God went after Adam and Eve after their sin in the garden, so He will go after our loved ones to bring them back to Him. Keep them before the Lord, and the Good Master will reward you in due season.
Trust. As the apostle John wrote to his fellow believers, "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us" (1 John 5:14) or as Moses said to the ancient Israelites, "God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" (Numbers 23:19). We must trust in God's promises and His good will toward man. His countless promises can be relied upon. "Trust in the Lord forever" (Isaiah 26:4 ESV).
Praise God for who He is, give thanks for everything, because through this experience God is building your faith in Him and transforming you to be like Him. You will become a testimony to your family, and your family will bear witness to this change. That might be the very cord that draws them to God. Stay focused, don't be discouraged. God has heard your cries and His reward is coming.
Unless noted otherwise, scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
