There’s something about waiting that makes us want answers. We want clarity. We want timelines. We want to know exactly how everything is going to unfold.
But more often than not, God doesn’t give us those details.
He gives us a promise… and then invites us to wait.
Looking for the Wrong Thing
As Jesus prepares to ascend, the disciples ask a question that feels very familiar: “Is it time now?”
Is now the moment everything comes together?
Is now when the promise is fulfilled?
Is now when things finally make sense?
They had an expectation of what the kingdom would look like. And even after everything they had seen, they were still trying to define how God was going to move.
And we do the same thing.
God speaks something to our hearts, and almost immediately, we begin filling in the details—what it will look like, when it will happen, how it will unfold.
But Jesus doesn’t answer their question the way they expect.
A Different Kind of Answer
Instead of giving them a timeline, He redirects them.
“It’s not for you to know the times or the seasons…”
In other words, you don’t need all the details.
What they did need was something else entirely:
“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.”
Before fulfillment comes empowerment.
Before clarity comes dependence.
Before the promise is fully realized, there is a season of preparation.
Standing and Staring
As Jesus ascends, the disciples stand there, looking up into the sky.
You can almost feel the moment—watching, waiting, wondering if maybe He’ll come back down. Maybe one more word. Maybe one more sign.
And then the question comes: “Why do you stand looking into heaven?”
It’s a gentle nudge.
Don’t get stuck staring.
Don’t stay frozen in the moment.
Don’t miss what comes next.
Yes, He’s coming again—but there is still something for you to do in the meantime.
The Tension of Waiting
Waiting can feel uncomfortable because it requires trust without full understanding.
It means releasing control over:
- the timeline
- the outcome
- the details
And choosing instead to say, “Yes, Lord,” even when you don’t see the full picture yet.
Because the waiting isn’t empty.
It’s forming something in you.
Open Hands, Open Heart
One of the hardest things about waiting is letting go of how we think God should fulfill what He promised.
Sometimes the disappointment we feel isn’t because God didn’t move—it’s because He didn’t move the way we expected.
But what if we held His promises with open hands?
Trusting not just that He will do it…
but trusting how He chooses to do it.
Trusting His timing.
Trusting His process.
Trusting that He sees what we cannot.
He Knows What You Need
Before Jesus leaves, He gives one final instruction: wait for the promise.
He knows what they’re going to face.
He knows what they’ll need.
And He knows they can’t do it on their own.
So He tells them to wait—not as punishment, but as preparation.
Because what’s coming next will require more than effort.
It will require His power.
Living in the In-Between
We all find ourselves in this space at times—the place between what God has said and what we’ve seen come to pass.
It can feel uncertain.
It can feel slow.
It can even feel confusing.
But it’s not wasted.
This is where trust deepens.
This is where faith grows.
This is where God prepares you for what’s ahead.
Keep Your Heart Ready
Yes, Jesus is coming again.
But right now, in this moment, there is still a life to live, a calling to walk in, and a promise to hold onto.
So instead of trying to figure everything out…
instead of forcing the timeline…
instead of standing still and staring…
Lean into the waiting.
Stay open.
Stay expectant.
Stay surrendered.
Because what God is doing in the waiting may be just as important as what you’re waiting for.
