Waiting & Acting with Jesus

I posted about waiting on Jesus here.

However when do you stop waiting & start acting?

I believe we are called to act.  One of the greatest opportunities Jesus has given us is choice & and those choices produce action.  The journey of Jonathan in 1 Samuel 14 & David in 1 Samuel 17 inspires me every time I read it! Paul's bold move in Acts 17 is message I would've love to hear in person.

A disciple (a learner or a student) takes what a teacher teaches and then puts those lessons into practice. When we read the scriptures we see clear instructions from Jesus to be active in the world.  Actively loving, sharing the gospel, caring for widows & orphans, actively sharing life with those closest to us so pain & hurts don't overwhelm those around us.  Being a disciple is being someone who lives actively with Jesus (Matthew 22:37-40, 28:16-20).

The waiting period allows us to learn from Jesus and how to be a student.  The waiting period allows our hearts to be transformed to submit to Jesus.  In the waiting period is when we listen to Jesus to speak and when He speaks then we act.  We invite the Holy Spirit to teach us and lead us (John 14:6)

I like acting on what I see Jesus nudging me to do.  I enjoy being able to know that my prayers are being spoken into by the Holy Spirit and that my life has a chance to be used by Jesus to impact others.

However there are times when I got to act on what I believe to be a nudge from Jesus and things don't work out how I think they should.  I make a decision through prayer, through waiting for wisdom and it still seems like I'm wrong…so what gives in those moments?

What gives is we are still living in a broken world and we are still broken people because of sin.  Even in the most humble posture, the most submitted heart, the willingest spirit to honor Jesus….we'll still get some actions wrong.

That's where Christians get frustrated and at times even give up trying to be obedient to Jesus.  The lie is bought that because we pray, listen & practice obedience to Jesus that everything is supposed to go smoothly after that.  We buy the lie that it's only in the disobedient & rash moments of life that things unravel.

With my own personal journey has shown me that in the continual process of waiting for the voice to Jesus to then act, even if my action doesn't pan out the way I thought it would, is a transforming time in my life where I learn to hear the voice of Jesus more than any other voice.  And in the many, many moments where Jesus nudges and I obey with action and it's honoring to Jesus…it's worth it.