Your Spiritual Journey
Prayerful Waiting
There were a lot of great things that happened at Winterfest last weekend! Three of our kids gave their lives to Christ, we were encouraged by worship, fellowship, and various lessons, and we were able to wait in multiple lines! I realize that waiting in line is not normally seen as a blessing. But it gave the kids another opportunity to play various games and fellowship with each other. We also had a chance while waiting in line to witness and take part in some of the various activities that other youth groups started.
We all do a lot of waiting. We wait in lines at sporting events, concerts, theme parks, or at the BMV. We wait for different seasons and vacations. We will all go through times when we are waiting for the things that we want.
But waiting does not have to equate to inactivity. The disciples did not just sit around and do nothing while they were waiting for the Holy Spirit. Before Jesus went up into heaven He told them that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit would come upon them.
12 “Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk[a] from the city. 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.” Acts 1:12-14
While the disciples were waiting, they got together and prayed constantly. In the verses after these we read about how they then fulfilled a need by replacing Judas. They didn’t use this time of waiting as an excuse for inactivity.
While we are waiting, whether we are anxious or excited, we can pray. And while we are waiting for one thing, we do not need to ignore all of the other opportunities around us. We can do a lot of good while we are waiting for something else. We all spend a lot of time waiting, but that doesn’t have to be wasted time.
Sean
