Read Acts 1-4
They say “good things come to those who wait,” but frankly I don’t like to wait. Whether it’s some new gadet, saving up to buy a new car, or working through a difficult situation, I want immediate resolve. And in the age of instant credit and microwave dinners, our culture makes it difficult to practice the discipline of waiting.
In Acts 1, the apostles were instructed by Jesus not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Holy Spirit. I imagine that for the apostles it wasn’t easy to wait. But that’s what they did. And the outcome was phenomenal! A great thing happened. The Holy Spirit came as promised. The result was that Peter was able to speak boldly about the things of God, and church grew by three thousand people that day.
I have to confess that waiting on God is hard. For years my wife Jennifer and I struggled with infertility issues. I was bitter toward God for not answering our prayers, and giving us “the desire of our hearts” (Psalm 37:4). However, in the midst of my anger and frustration, I kept pursuing the things of God, while we continued to wait. Then one day after a seminary class, I came home and Jennifer exclaimed “You’ll never believe it! I’m pregnant!” Eleven years later, we still rejoice over God’s blessing, our son Zachary.
Good things do come to those who wait upon the Lord!
- Bryan Hardwick is the Small Groups Pastor at Adventure Church
