WHAT TO DO WHILE YOU WAIT

• DAY 331
• FEAR FILE: DISCIPLES
• SCRIPTURES: ACTS 1:4, 12-14

And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey. And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

This was one of the most uncertain times in the lives of the disciples. Their Rabbi, who just resurrected, was ascending to heaven and leaving such huge shoes for them to fill. They were now to take the gospel that tells of Him to the ends of the earth and finish what he started. But first, they had to wait for power to come “not many days from now” v5

They didn’t have the exact date. They weren’t sure if ‘not many days’ meant 7, 10, 20, or 365 days. Compared to the total days of life 1000 days may not even be considered as many. So, here they were, with a mandate they could not pursue because they had to wait.

What do you do when you have a dream you are excited about and eager to pursue but you are asked to wait? What do you do when God gives you a word and says, not now? That time you are waiting can be uncomfortable and unclear but our text today suggests that there is something we should do in this season.

When On Pause, Pray

The disciples prayed frequently. The first time they were uncertain (which was when Jesus died and was buried) they returned to their past professions. But this time they did things differently and this made a world of difference. It was while praying that they realized that Judas, the betrayer, had to be replaced. Prayer was not in the instruction to wait but they knew that was the only way to wait.

When you are waiting, the thing you can do with that time in between is pray. You might not know the time that thing is going to happen or what the manifestation of what you are waiting for looks like. You might not have all the details, but what you can do is pray. Prayer will eliminate the anxiety that comes with waiting, and give you clarity and a strategy for what to do when the waiting is over. Prayer is also an act of faith. So don’t waste your waiting around grumbling and complaining. Pray.

So take a moment and practice that now. And ask God to help you. If you’re not waiting for anything in particular that you can remember, you’re at least waiting for the return of our Lord Jesus. So pray and ask God to give you strength and grace for this waiting season. In Jesus’ name. Amen.