There are times when we feel like the promises of God are late in coming to fruition. We feel like things aren't going as planned or as hoped for, and it feels like our prayers aren't getting us any replies from God.

In other words, we feel like God's plans for us, even those written in His Word, aren't going to happen soon.

Have you ever felt like that? If you have, did you know how to respond and what to do?

If you're asking that question yourself, then this article is for you.

When God's plans seem farfetched to us

There are times in our lives wherein we feel like God's plans for us aren't happening anytime soon, even after we have prayed, read our Bibles and obeyed God's Word.

This is not an uncommon thing: many of God's people have experienced that, and we can read all of that in His Word.

• Take Abraham, the father of faith. God promised to him that he'd have a son with his wife Sarah, but it took a long time (and some trouble) before that could actually happen. God would even ask him to sacrifice his only son, only to reveal his heart. (see Genesis 15:1-6, 21:1-7, 22:1-19)

• Or take Moses, who spent forty years in Midian before he could do what he believed he was called to do: to deliver the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. (see Acts 7:23-30; Exodus 7:7)

• Or take young David, for example. God already anointed him as king over Israel, but it took quite a while before he could sit on the throne as king succeeding Saul. (see 1 Samuel 16:1-13; 2 Samuel 5)

• Or take Anna, a prophetess who spent a large chunk of her life fasting and praying for the coming of the Messiah. She'd already spent decades in the temple and became old before she could lay her eyes on the young child Jesus, the Saviour of the world. (see Luke 2:36-38)

We could go on with the list of people who waited a long time before God's promises would actually happen, but we'll end there.

I deliberately mentioned these people because we can learn a few things from them regarding what we should do when it feels like God's plans aren't going to happen soon:

1) Have faith in God

God will never break any promise, covenant, or Word. He always does what He says He will do. Trust Him to do as He said.

2) Live life in faith

OK, God promised something to us. Do we just sit back and wait, and then rant and get angry at God when it seems like He's not holding His end of the bargain? No.

We should live our lives in faith instead. He promised something, and so we can wait for Him to fulfill it. These people above simply lived their lives uprightly and with hopeful expectation that God will do as He said (see Hebrews 11:13).

3) Keep praying and seeking God

Abraham established altars wherever God met with Him. Moses spent considerable time in the presence of God. David enjoyed the wilderness worshipping the Lord God of Israel. Anna kept praying day by day, and that was her delight.

The same should work with us. We ought to seek God more and more as we wait for Him to do as He said. Because God is trustworthy, all His promises are already a done deal thanks to Christ:

"For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us." (2 Corinthians 1:20)