Matthew 15:23

Genuine seekers who until now have not obtained the blessing may take comfort from the story before us. The Savior did not at once bestow the blessing, even though the woman had great faith in Him. He intended to give it, but He waited a while. He answered her not a word. Were not her prayers good?

Never better in the world. Was not her case needy? Sorrowfully needy. Did she not feel her need sufficiently? She felt it overwhelmingly. Was she not earnest enough? She was intensely so. Had she no faith? She had such a high degree of it that even Jesus wondered, and said, O woman, great is thy faith. See then, although it is true that faith brings peace, yet it does not always bring it instantaneously.

There may be certain reasons calling for the trial of faith, rather than the reward of faith. Genuine faith may be in the soul like a hidden seed, but it may not yet have budded and blossomed into joy and peace. A painful silence from the Savior is the grievous trial of many a seeking soul, but heavier still is the affliction of a harsh, cutting reply such as this: It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. Many who wait upon the Lord find immediate delight, but this is not the case with all.

Some, like the jailer, are turned in a moment from darkness to light, but others are plants of slower growth. A deeper sense of sin may be given to you instead of a sense of pardon, and in such a case, you will need patience to bear the heavy blow.

Ah, poor heart, though Christ beat and bruise you, or even slay you, trust Him; though He should give you an angry word, believe in the love of His heart. Do not, I beseech you, give up seeking or trusting my Master, because you have not yet obtained the conscious joy which you long for. Cast yourself on Him, and perseveringly depend even where you cannot rejoicingly hope.