The Tension Between Waiting and Moving in Faith

So often, we find ourselves living in the tension between waiting and moving, between standing still in faith and stepping out in obedience. This is the very place where the Israelites found themselves at the edge of the Red Sea—fear behind them, uncertainty ahead, and God’s voice calling them both to stand still and to move forward. In our own lives, we experience this same tension: longing for breakthrough, yet hesitant to leave the comfort of what we know, even if it’s not God’s best for us.

God is not just a God of moments, but a God of movements. He calls us to trust Him in the waiting, but also to act when He says, “Go.” Sometimes, we camp in places of fear or complacency, justifying our inaction as “waiting on God,” when in reality, He’s already told us to move. The story of the Israelites reminds us that deliverance often requires both faith and action. Standing still is not passivity—it’s an act of trust, a spiritual muscle memory developed through intimacy with God. But faith is also meant to propel us forward, to activate the gifts and resources God has placed in our hands.

We must recognize that what we tolerate will dominate us. If we don’t change what needs to be changed, we are choosing to remain in our current situation. God invites us to transformation, but He doesn’t force it. He gives us the dignity of choice, and the responsibility to act. Whether it’s breaking a habit, stepping into a new calling, or letting go of old mindsets, the miracle often meets us in transition, not in hesitation.

God’s grace is sufficient for the journey, and His power is made perfect in our weakness. We don’t have to wait for perfect conditions or for every detail to be in place. Obedience is often messy, but it’s in the going that God reveals His faithfulness and opens the way before us. Let’s be a people who discern when to wait and when to move, who refuse to camp in fear, and who courageously step into the unknown, trusting that God will meet us there.

Key Takeaways

• 1. What You Don’t Change, You Choose If we tolerate dysfunction or delay obedience, we are actively choosing our current reality. God invites us to transformation, but He won’t override our will. The scenery of our suffering is often self-selected when we refuse to confront what needs to change. True freedom comes when we partner with God to move beyond old patterns and step into His best for us. [14:11]
• 2. Standing Still Is Active Faith Standing still isn’t passivity; it’s a deliberate act of trust. In moments of chaos, being still before God steadies our soul and allows us to hear His voice. This spiritual “muscle memory” is developed through intimacy with God, so that when storms come, we respond with calm assurance rather than panic. Faith doesn’t always remove the storm, but it anchors us in the midst of it. [23:19]
• 3. Miracles Meet Us in Movement God’s power is often released as we step out in obedience, not while we hesitate. The Israelites didn’t see the sea part until they moved forward. Likewise, our breakthroughs often come as we act on what God has already spoken, even if we feel unprepared. The miracle is in the transition, not the hesitation—God says, “Go, and I’ll show you.” [32:36]
• 4. Don’t Wait for Perfect Conditions If we wait for everything to align before we act, we’ll never move. God’s call rarely comes with all the details in place. He delights to show His strength in our weakness and to provide as we go. Obedience is often messy and uncomfortable, but it’s in the going that God’s faithfulness is revealed and His purposes are fulfilled. [35:35]
• 5. Use What’s in Your Hand God equips us with unique gifts, talents, and resources—our “staff”—to fulfill His purposes. We are called to steward what He’s given us, not to wait for something else or someone else. As we move in faith with what we have, God multiplies our efforts and brings about His plans in ways we could never orchestrate on our own. [30:27]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [01:10] - Introductions and Greetings
• [02:27] - Opening Story and Humor
• [03:13] - Opening Prayer
• [04:15] - Interactive Start and Icebreaker
• [05:02] - Setting the Scene: Exodus 14
• [06:16] - Reading the Exodus 14 Passage
• [08:06] - Israel’s Fear and Complaints
• [09:05] - God’s Commands: Stand Still and Move
• [11:00] - The Tension Between Waiting and Going
• [12:22] - The Gate Story: Tolerating Dysfunction
• [14:11] - If You Don’t Change It, You Choose It
• [16:27] - The Cost of Obedience and Sacrifice
• [18:21] - Excuses vs. Action
• [22:42] - Standing Still as a Response of Faith
• [24:45] - Training, Conditioning, and Spiritual Muscle Memory
• [27:55] - Camping in Paralysis vs. Moving in Faith
• [29:05] - God’s Call: It’s Time to Move
• [32:36] - Miracles in Transition, Not Hesitation
• [35:35] - Don’t Wait for Perfect Conditions
• [38:45] - Prayer for Courage and Movement
• [43:50] - The Story of Nashon: Stepping Into the Water
• [45:23] - Final Encouragements and Closing

Bible Reading

Exodus 14:10–16 (ESV) — 10 When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the Lord.
11 They said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt?
12 Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.”
13 And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.
14 The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”
15 The Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward.
16 Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground.”

Observation Questions

1. What were the Israelites’ main complaints to Moses when they saw the Egyptians approaching? (Exodus 14:11–12)
2. What two commands did God give the Israelites through Moses at the edge of the Red Sea? ([10:40])
3. According to the sermon, what does “standing still” actually mean in the context of faith? ([23:19])
4. What did God tell Moses to do with his staff, and why was this significant? (Exodus 14:16)

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think the Israelites preferred the familiarity of slavery in Egypt over the uncertainty of freedom, even when God was leading them? ([08:46])
2. The sermon says, “Standing still is not passivity; it’s an act of trust.” How does this challenge common ideas about waiting on God? ([23:19])
3. The phrase “If you don’t change it, you choose it” was used in the sermon. What does this reveal about our responsibility in situations where we feel stuck? ([14:11])
4. The miracle of the Red Sea didn’t happen until the Israelites moved forward. What does this suggest about the relationship between faith and action? ([32:36])

Application Questions

1. The Israelites were tempted to go back to what was familiar, even though it wasn’t God’s best for them. Is there an area in your life where you’re holding onto something familiar out of fear, even though you sense God calling you to something new? What would it look like to let go? ([08:46])
2. The sermon said, “What you tolerate will dominate you.” Is there a habit, relationship, or mindset you’ve been tolerating that you know needs to change? What’s one step you could take this week to address it? ([14:11])
3. “Standing still” was described as an active trust in God, not just doing nothing. When you face chaos or uncertainty, what helps you to be still and trust God? Is there a spiritual practice (like prayer, worship, or Scripture) that you want to lean into more? ([23:19])
4. The miracle happened as the Israelites moved forward, not while they hesitated. Is there something you believe God has already spoken to you about, but you’ve been waiting for “perfect conditions” before acting? What’s holding you back from taking the next step? ([35:35])
5. The sermon challenged us to “use what’s in your hand”—the gifts, talents, and resources God has already given you. What is one gift or resource you have that you could use in a new way for God’s purposes this month? ([30:27])
6. The message said, “Obedience is often messy, but it’s in the going that God reveals His faithfulness.” Can you share a time when you stepped out in obedience before you felt ready? What did you learn about God in that process? ([35:35])
7. The sermon ended with a prayer for courage to move forward. Where do you need courage right now—to stand still in faith, or to step out in obedience? How can the group support you in this? ([39:36])