Delayed Deliverance

My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. – James 1:3-4 
 
As followers of Christ, we need to understand that sometimes, God does not deliver us from our trials right away. Sometimes He preserves us in our trials, and therefore gives us the power through His Holy Spirit to endure. 
 
In Mark chapter 5, the Bible says that the woman with the bleeding illness had been losing blood for 12 years. The blood is symbolic of life. For 12 years she is losing life, but in those 12 years, she never lost her life. She was not free from her issues, but she also was not destroyed by them. And she was not the only person in the Bible who had to walk through difficult trials without giving in or giving up.  
 
Is that not the story of Daniel in the Lion’s Den? God kept him in the den, but He rendered the lion impotent. He didn’t grant Daniel deliverance from the den, but rather endurance in the Den. Look at the three Hebrew boys in Daniel chapter 3 – Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They were not delivered from the fire initially. In fact, the fire was said to have been made several times hotter. But instead of freeing them from the fire, the Lord made them fireproof.  
 
God may not free you from whatever it is you’re dealing with, but He will preserve you in it. He’ll preserve your power, your peace, and your patience. And He will allow you to grow, mature, and develop in your faith and trust in Him as you walk through the various trials of life.