Reading Daniel in the bible these days.  Trying to understand what happened when Daniel prayed.  Chapter 10 vs 12.  Daniel is praying for 21 days and God sends an angel 22 days after he started  this prayer.  The angel says that he was sent with a message 21 days earlier but the prince of darkness (evil spirit) held him up and they were fighting for 21 days and Michael another angel came to help so that Gods message could be given and prayer answered.  So does this mean if we wait in worship God will work for us.  this takes us back to Jesus’ words “Oh ye of little faith” and “those who give little get little those who give much get much.  ” For 21 days Daniel abstained from pleasant food, meat, wine, and laboured in prayer – he persisted, pleaded, and agonized with no response.  But on the 22 day an angel appeared and told Daniel why he was delayed.  for 21 days he battled an evil spirit from Persia blocking him from his delivery. Michael who we have heard about in other bible stories, comes to battle too and the original angel comes to deliver the message.

It begs the question if Daniel had given up, lost faith or walked away from God would the message have been delivered? and what if I give up, lose faith or walk away from God, where do my prayers go, how long will they be delayed. The darkness and evil that surrounds me and I allow to engulf me, do they delay my answers?  In Daniel’s case he did not loose faith, but do the prayers that go to heaven have Gods response delayed  because he is preparing hearts of those around us to help or fulfill our prayers?  Or does the devil have greater power here on this world blocking some of Gods answers? and if we grow weary praying and requesting that when the messenger comes we are not there to receive it?

All questions deserving an answer–

So what are the answers?

here is where things get dicey In our world were we like to see things just black and white there is a lot of Gray out there.  I am not sure of most of the answers but lets try this; I know that God is powerful and hears our prayers and permits evil things to happen.  Why — Well a lot of the time its our own fault.  We chose a bad life style so we hurt our health, we choose to drive fast ignore the rules of the road and cause an accident, I could go on, but sometimes its not our fault at all, My depression is chemically based – so I am convinced that disfunctioning hormones is the reason, but does the chemicals in our environment help , No, not my fault but man’s fault.  So now what?  A bad thing is happening and we must allow God to do is give him the time to take what is a mess and make it a blessing. God takes all and turns it into good.  Sometimes we are unable to get up to get that blessing, we are taken over, in my case with darkness that doesn’t allow the light in but pain to persist, increase and engulf.  I am lucky to have amazing people pray for me. I may not believe it sometimes, that their prayers are to a real God. But the spirit is with in me and will rise its head when I have reached that end of my rope.  Be still and listen, he is always there but the static in my head doesn’t allow me to hear or see.  It will clear eventually unto that time.  I will move through the muck best I can and see where it leads.

till next time