There is, likewise, great variety in the manner and time of God’s bestowing his sanctifying grace, whereby he enables his children to give him their whole heart, which we can in no wise account for. We know not why he bestows this on some, even before they ask for it; on some, after they had sought it but a few days: And yet permits other believers to wait for it, perhaps twenty, thirty, or forty years; nay, and others, till a few hours, or even minutes, before their spirits return to [God].

—John Wesley, Sermon 69, 6:349

While the bestowing of God’s grace is mysterious to us, Wesley reminds us here of God’s sovereignty. Grace is God’s free gift to us and he gives or withholds it as he sees fit. We are not to use this as an opportunity to try to demonstrate our intellectual superiority over God by pointing out seeming inconsistencies in how he manifests his sovereign power, but rather trust that God knows best for all of us. Having this attitude is what the Bible calls “humility” and it is a prerequisite ingredient if we are ever to enjoy a proper relationship with God.