May 7th, 2026
by Matthew Spoon
by Matthew Spoon
The Power in the Waiting: Finding Purpose in Life's Preparation Seasons
We live in a world that celebrates instant results. We want our food fast, our internet faster, and our dreams fulfilled yesterday. Yet some of the most profound spiritual truths emerge not in moments of action, but in seasons of waiting.
The early followers of Jesus found themselves in exactly this position. The resurrection had happened. The tomb was empty. Their teacher had returned from death itself. Surely now was the time for revolution, for taking back Jerusalem, for establishing God's kingdom with visible, political power.
Instead, Jesus told them to wait.
The Hardest Command: Stay Put
Imagine being told to return to the very place of your greatest failure. Jerusalem wasn't just any city for these disciples—it was where their teacher had been crucified, where they had hidden in fear, where everything had seemed to fall apart. The natural instinct would be to retreat to the safety of Galilee, to regroup in familiar territory, to avoid the scene of such recent trauma.
But Jesus commanded them to go back to Jerusalem and wait there for the promise of the Father.
This wasn't wishful thinking or maybe-it-will-happen optimism. This was a promise—and in Jewish culture, a father's promise carried the weight of a legal and moral bond. It was an inheritance right. What they were waiting for was the Holy Spirit, and that gift was guaranteed.
More Than Water: The Baptism of Power
John the Baptist had baptized with water—an outward washing symbolizing repentance and heart change. But the baptism Jesus promised was fundamentally different. This would be an immersion into God's own presence, a baptism of the Holy Spirit.
The Greek word used for "power" in Acts 1:8 is dynamis—the same root from which we get our word "dynamite." This isn't gentle encouragement or mild assistance. This is explosive, transformative power.
Here's a revolutionary truth: if you have placed your faith in Jesus Christ, God Himself lives in you through the Holy Spirit. The God who created galaxies, who spoke the universe into existence, who holds all things together—that God resides within you.
Can you think of anything else you might need that God hasn't already given you to do the work He's called you to do?
Running on Empty
Consider your smartphone. It's an amazing piece of technology that can connect you to people across the globe, provide endless information, capture precious memories, and serve as a powerful tool for ministry and outreach. But if it's not charged, it's just an expensive paperweight.
The same principle applies to our spiritual lives. We can have the best intentions, the most impressive résumés, the greatest natural talents—but if we're not plugged into the power source of the Holy Spirit, we're running on empty.
Many Christians suffer from spiritual burnout because they've been doing God's work in their own strength for so long. They've relied on their personality, their intellect, their stamina, their charisma—and eventually, they hit a wall.
The solution isn't to try harder. It's to yield completely.
Being filled with the Holy Spirit isn't about dramatic experiences or special rituals. It's about yielding—surrendering control, listening, following, and allowing God to work through you rather than trying to work for God in your own power.
The Mission Beyond Politics
The disciples kept asking the wrong question: "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" After three years of ministry with Jesus, they were still thinking small, still focused on political power and cultural expectations.
Jesus redirected their attention to something infinitely larger: "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
Notice the expanding circles of influence:
Jerusalem represents your immediate home—the people right around you, the family members, neighbors, and coworkers you interact with daily.
Judea represents your surrounding region—those beyond your immediate circle but still within your sphere of influence.
Samaria represents the outsiders—the people you might naturally avoid, the difficult relationships, those you might consider "other" or different from you.
The ends of the earth represents the global mission—the understanding that God's love extends to every person in every nation.
What Is a Witness?
The calling to be a witness can feel intimidating. We imagine we need perfect theological knowledge, eloquent speech, or impressive credentials. But a witness is simply someone who tells what they've seen and experienced.
You don't need to master every doctrine or memorize every verse. You just need to be able to say, "I was like this before I met Jesus, and now I'm like this." That's your testimony. That's being a witness.
The Great Commission isn't just for pastors or missionaries or those with seminary degrees. It's for every follower of Jesus. We're all in a relay race, and the baton has been passed to us. Previous generations of believers ran their leg of the race and handed off to us. Now it's our turn.
The Danger of Stargazing
When Jesus ascended into heaven, the disciples stood staring upward, mouths open in amazement. Who wouldn't? It was a jaw-dropping, miraculous sight.
But angels appeared with a reality check: "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven?"
The message was clear: Yes, Jesus will return. Yes, heaven is real. Yes, what you just witnessed was extraordinary. But there's work to be done in the meantime.
We can become so focused on past victories or future hopes that we miss the present mission. We can spend so much time in theological discussions about the end times or debating fine points of doctrine that we forget people around us are dying without knowing Jesus.
We need to keep the main thing the main thing.
The Foundation of Prayer
When the disciples returned to the upper room, they didn't just wait passively. They devoted themselves to constant prayer. They formed a prayerful partnership.
Prayer is the foundation of everything. A church can have the best programs, the most talented leaders, the finest facilities—but without prayer, it's just machinery. What God's kingdom needs is people mighty in prayer, people who understand that nothing of eternal value happens apart from the Holy Spirit's power.
If you're frustrated with something in your life or your church, the first question to ask is: Have I prayed about it? Prayer isn't a last resort when everything else fails. It's the first and most important action.
Purpose in Every Season
Whatever season you're in right now—whether it feels like a waiting room, a time of transition, or even a period of grief—God has a purpose for it. There are no wasted moments in God's economy.
The waiting isn't punishment. The preparation isn't pointless. God may be using this very season to build your foundation, to strengthen your faith, to prepare you for something greater than you can imagine.
So wake up each morning and declare: "Jesus is risen. The Holy Spirit lives in me. Today, I yield to God's power and purpose."
That's how you turn waiting into preparation, and preparation into powerful ministry.
We live in a world that celebrates instant results. We want our food fast, our internet faster, and our dreams fulfilled yesterday. Yet some of the most profound spiritual truths emerge not in moments of action, but in seasons of waiting.
The early followers of Jesus found themselves in exactly this position. The resurrection had happened. The tomb was empty. Their teacher had returned from death itself. Surely now was the time for revolution, for taking back Jerusalem, for establishing God's kingdom with visible, political power.
Instead, Jesus told them to wait.
The Hardest Command: Stay Put
Imagine being told to return to the very place of your greatest failure. Jerusalem wasn't just any city for these disciples—it was where their teacher had been crucified, where they had hidden in fear, where everything had seemed to fall apart. The natural instinct would be to retreat to the safety of Galilee, to regroup in familiar territory, to avoid the scene of such recent trauma.
But Jesus commanded them to go back to Jerusalem and wait there for the promise of the Father.
This wasn't wishful thinking or maybe-it-will-happen optimism. This was a promise—and in Jewish culture, a father's promise carried the weight of a legal and moral bond. It was an inheritance right. What they were waiting for was the Holy Spirit, and that gift was guaranteed.
More Than Water: The Baptism of Power
John the Baptist had baptized with water—an outward washing symbolizing repentance and heart change. But the baptism Jesus promised was fundamentally different. This would be an immersion into God's own presence, a baptism of the Holy Spirit.
The Greek word used for "power" in Acts 1:8 is dynamis—the same root from which we get our word "dynamite." This isn't gentle encouragement or mild assistance. This is explosive, transformative power.
Here's a revolutionary truth: if you have placed your faith in Jesus Christ, God Himself lives in you through the Holy Spirit. The God who created galaxies, who spoke the universe into existence, who holds all things together—that God resides within you.
Can you think of anything else you might need that God hasn't already given you to do the work He's called you to do?
Running on Empty
Consider your smartphone. It's an amazing piece of technology that can connect you to people across the globe, provide endless information, capture precious memories, and serve as a powerful tool for ministry and outreach. But if it's not charged, it's just an expensive paperweight.
The same principle applies to our spiritual lives. We can have the best intentions, the most impressive résumés, the greatest natural talents—but if we're not plugged into the power source of the Holy Spirit, we're running on empty.
Many Christians suffer from spiritual burnout because they've been doing God's work in their own strength for so long. They've relied on their personality, their intellect, their stamina, their charisma—and eventually, they hit a wall.
The solution isn't to try harder. It's to yield completely.
Being filled with the Holy Spirit isn't about dramatic experiences or special rituals. It's about yielding—surrendering control, listening, following, and allowing God to work through you rather than trying to work for God in your own power.
The Mission Beyond Politics
The disciples kept asking the wrong question: "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" After three years of ministry with Jesus, they were still thinking small, still focused on political power and cultural expectations.
Jesus redirected their attention to something infinitely larger: "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
Notice the expanding circles of influence:
Jerusalem represents your immediate home—the people right around you, the family members, neighbors, and coworkers you interact with daily.
Judea represents your surrounding region—those beyond your immediate circle but still within your sphere of influence.
Samaria represents the outsiders—the people you might naturally avoid, the difficult relationships, those you might consider "other" or different from you.
The ends of the earth represents the global mission—the understanding that God's love extends to every person in every nation.
What Is a Witness?
The calling to be a witness can feel intimidating. We imagine we need perfect theological knowledge, eloquent speech, or impressive credentials. But a witness is simply someone who tells what they've seen and experienced.
You don't need to master every doctrine or memorize every verse. You just need to be able to say, "I was like this before I met Jesus, and now I'm like this." That's your testimony. That's being a witness.
The Great Commission isn't just for pastors or missionaries or those with seminary degrees. It's for every follower of Jesus. We're all in a relay race, and the baton has been passed to us. Previous generations of believers ran their leg of the race and handed off to us. Now it's our turn.
The Danger of Stargazing
When Jesus ascended into heaven, the disciples stood staring upward, mouths open in amazement. Who wouldn't? It was a jaw-dropping, miraculous sight.
But angels appeared with a reality check: "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven?"
The message was clear: Yes, Jesus will return. Yes, heaven is real. Yes, what you just witnessed was extraordinary. But there's work to be done in the meantime.
We can become so focused on past victories or future hopes that we miss the present mission. We can spend so much time in theological discussions about the end times or debating fine points of doctrine that we forget people around us are dying without knowing Jesus.
We need to keep the main thing the main thing.
The Foundation of Prayer
When the disciples returned to the upper room, they didn't just wait passively. They devoted themselves to constant prayer. They formed a prayerful partnership.
Prayer is the foundation of everything. A church can have the best programs, the most talented leaders, the finest facilities—but without prayer, it's just machinery. What God's kingdom needs is people mighty in prayer, people who understand that nothing of eternal value happens apart from the Holy Spirit's power.
If you're frustrated with something in your life or your church, the first question to ask is: Have I prayed about it? Prayer isn't a last resort when everything else fails. It's the first and most important action.
Purpose in Every Season
Whatever season you're in right now—whether it feels like a waiting room, a time of transition, or even a period of grief—God has a purpose for it. There are no wasted moments in God's economy.
The waiting isn't punishment. The preparation isn't pointless. God may be using this very season to build your foundation, to strengthen your faith, to prepare you for something greater than you can imagine.
So wake up each morning and declare: "Jesus is risen. The Holy Spirit lives in me. Today, I yield to God's power and purpose."
That's how you turn waiting into preparation, and preparation into powerful ministry.
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