God Is Not Inactive
“Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”
—Luke 24:49
“These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.”
—Acts 1:14
Jesus told His disciples to stay in Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the Holy Spirit. They waited approximately ten days between His ascension and Pentecost.
But what did they do during this time of waiting?
They devoted themselves to prayer.
They waited together.
They were waiting—but they were not inactive.
God Is Not Inactive
Waiting can feel like our hands are tied.
Perhaps you are waiting for an answer to a specific prayer. Maybe you are waiting for a change in a job or family situation. Maybe you simply don’t understand why God hasn’t moved yet.
Many of us live hectic, busy lives. We’ve got that down pat! Never a dull moment, from when we get out of bed to when we climb back in.
But how many of us know how to be still and wait?
Why does God make us wait? What is the purpose?
Is it possible we have swallowed the world’s notion that stillness and waiting are lazy and idle?
It was not God’s intention for us to be busy all day, every day. In the Old Testament, God appointed a weekly day of rest, along with days of celebration and reflection for His people.
There are important lessons in learning to wait.
Waiting teaches us patience and endurance. It teaches us about God’s perfect timing. It deepens our relationship with the Lord.
“Be still, and know that I am God.”
—Psalm 46:10
Waiting can create space to quiet our voices so we can hear the Lord. It can bring healing, shape our character, and teach us to trust Him more deeply.
Think about the disciples.
Jesus had given them a promise, but He did not tell them exactly when it would come. He simply told them to stay and wait.
And so they waited.
But they didn’t sit around doing nothing. They devoted themselves to prayer.
How do I perceive my waiting times?
Do I feel useless?
Forgotten?
Agitated?
Frustrated?
Restricted?
Waiting can certainly feel that way.
But what if I began to see my waiting time differently?
I am not to be idle or slothful. At the same time, I don't want to run ahead of God simply because I am uncomfortable with waiting.
Is this waiting time something God wants to use to prepare me for a new season of service?
Perhaps what feels like a pause to me is actually preparation in God’s hands.
God is on the throne, and He has a beautiful plan for us during this time of waiting.
Waiting does not mean God is doing nothing.
God is not inactive.
He is working in ways we may not yet see.
Waiting times are appointed by God and have a set limit. God will not be too early or too late.
The disciples did not know exactly what would happen when they waited in Jerusalem. They only knew what Jesus had told them: stay and wait for the Promise of My Father.
So they waited.
And they prayed.
What if we did the same?
Instead of seeing waiting as wasted time, what if we allowed God to use this time to grow us in our relationship with Him?
What is He teaching me?
How does He want me to use this time of waiting?
Maybe waiting is not about doing nothing.
Maybe it is about being still enough to notice what God is doing.
So if you find yourself in a season of waiting today, remember the disciples.
They waited.
They prayed.
They trusted the promise of Jesus.
And at just the right time, the promise came.
“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.” —Acts 2:1, 2, 4
God is not inactive in your waiting.
He is still working.
He is still preparing.
He is still present.
And He is still God.
Linger in His Word
What would it look like for you to actively wait on God rather than simply endure the waiting?
Quiet Prayer
Lord, what are You teaching me in this waiting season?
How do You want me to use this time?
Help me not to run ahead of You, but to trust Your perfect timing. Amen
