Waiting

“He commanded them … to wait for the Promise of the Father … ‘for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’”—Acts 1:4–5 NKJV

Jesus promised the disciples that they would be given the gift of being “baptized with the Holy Spirit.” But He did not explain what this meant, what the impact would be, or how they might experience this gift. He simply told them to wait. They must have had questions, but they were left to wonder and wait.

When the Day of Pentecost came, “They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4). Having waited, they received the gift Jesus had promised. But it was given in God’s way and in His time.

We, too, may find it necessary to wait for promises to be fulfilled, for the help we need, or for answers. As we wait, we easily can become discouraged and feel impatient. In spite of our prayers and the promises in the Bible, the answers may not seem to come soon enough.

We need to remember that waiting does not mean that God is displeased or that His promises are not true. It simply means that the time is not right, and we must wait for God’s time.

Today, do not be impatient but trust in God. Keep praying and believing that He will answer your prayers. As you wait, prepare your heart and mind and be faithful to His Word and His direction for your life.

Reflection Question: For what have you been waiting and praying recently?