When Waiting Isn’t Working (Muddy Moves)

Sermon Summary

• Ever feel like you’re stuck in a season that isn’t moving? God may not be asking you to wait; He may be asking you to act. If you’ve been delaying your next step because it’s messy, uncomfortable, or imperfect, this message will help you move forward.

Sermon Highlights

• I’ve got to do the work that God called me to do in the window that God gave me to do it.

• The only thing harder than waiting on God is wishing that you had. 

• If you get ahead of God in an effort to obey him, he can close a door and slow you down. If you get behind God because you won't obey him, he'll choose somebody else to use. 

• Sometimes we think we’re waiting when we’re really disobeying. You cannot replace obeying with waiting. 

• When God has given you a word, waiting will not change your situation, only washing will. 

• Three things you might be waiting on that won’t work: 

  • Perfect 

  • People

  • Pain-free

• The Savior specializes in mud.

• Stop waiting for perfect and praise Him for progress. Stop waiting for perfect and praise Him for proximity. Stop searching for perfect and start accepting presence. 

• It’s muddy, but I’ve gotta move. 

• If you wait in this season for other people to confirm your obedience, you will stay blind. 

• Jesus did not perform miracles in a pain-free environment. 

• Sometimes He takes away, and sometimes He makes a way.

Scriptures 

• John 9:1-11 – Jesus heals a man born blind

• John 8:58-59 – Jesus’ environment wasn’t pain-free 

• 2 Corinthians 12:9 – My grace is sufficient for you…

Sermon Discussion

Conversation Starter 

• Pastor Steven talked about how long he and Holly take to get ready for a dinner date. When you’re getting ready for an event, are you usually quick and out the door, or do you need all the time you can get?

Discussion Questions

• “Sometimes we think we’re waiting when we’re really disobeying. You cannot replace obeying with waiting.” Where might God be leading you to move in obedience instead of continuing to wait?

• “Three things you might be waiting on that won’t work: Perfect, People, Pain-free.” Which of these do you tend to wait for the most: perfect conditions, confirmation from people, or a pain-free path?

Additional Questions

• “If you wait in this season for other people to confirm your obedience, you will stay blind.” Share a time God asked you to do something, even though others didn’t fully understand it.

• “It’s muddy, but I’ve gotta move.” What area might look messy or unclear right now, and what’s one step you can still take to move forward this week? 

Prayer Prompt

Ask your eGroup if they have any prayer requests or praise reports they’d like to share, and include them in your closing prayer. 

Pray this prayer over your eGroup to close, and/or send it to them throughout the week to let them know you’re praying for them!  

Lord, thank You for always speaking to us and guiding us. Please show us the areas where we’ve been waiting instead of obeying, and strengthen us to take the next step that You’ve commanded us to take. As we move forward in the “muddy” areas of our lives this week, please use us to display Your goodness and love to the people around us. We love You and we trust You. In Jesus’ name, amen.