For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. –2 Peter 1:5-8
Bill Johnson recently shared about a word of knowledge he received as he walked into a classroom packed with more than 700 students about a year ago. He sensed that someone in that room had prayed that morning specifically for $500. When he asked who it was, a young lady in the front row raised her hand. He handed her a $50 bill and said, “This is not $500, but this is a seed.” Later that day she went to the market where she met a family that couldn’t afford to buy the groceries that they needed. So she used the $50 to pay for their groceries. When she got home that evening, there was a knock at her door, and someone handed her a check for $500.
Johnson went on to say that while he loves these quick answers to prayer, he’s thankful for the delays. Quick answers to prayer build our faith, but delayed answers to prayer build both our faith and our character.
God loves us so much that he intentionally delays the answers to our prayers in order to enable us to add to our faith . . .
Faith is good, but faith + character is better.