Ever feel led to take a leap of faith? Carlos Whittaker did.
In 2014, Whittaker canceled all of his engagements as a worship leader to pursue a new calling as a speaker. Over the next two weeks, Whittaker received rejections from every place he inquired to speak. A feeling of doubt began to arise in his heart. “Did I make the wrong decision? Did I mishear God’s voice? How will I feed my family if I can’t get work?”
About two weeks after making that leap of faith, Whittaker received an email that mentioned the White House in the subject line. Thinking it was spam, he deleted it. A few minutes later, his’ opened his phone to see a ton of texts and missed calls from his agent. “You deleted the White House’s email. They know you deleted their email! Call me ASAP.”
A few minutes later, Whittaker was on the phone with a White House representative. A couple of weeks later, he was sitting on a stage in the East Room singing, “Nothing But the Blood of Jesus” and leading a devotion at the White House’s Easter Prayer Breakfast. Carlos Whittaker’s first speaking gig was to an audience of the President, the First Lady, and other leaders.
Ultimately, Carlos Whittaker’s experience ends in a powerful display of God’s power; his story is worth reading and can be found in his book, Enter Wild: Exchange a Mild and Mundane Faith for Life with an Uncontainable God. But not everyone who steps out in courage sees an outcome as Carlos did; you may have a hard time relating to his experience of triumphant vindication. But we can all relate to that feeling of doubt and uncertainty in the waiting between the step of faith and the provision of God.
The church in Jerusalem was living in that in-between space in Acts 12. “About that time King Herod Agrippa] began to persecute some believers in the church. He had the apostle James (John’s brother) killed with a sword. When Herod saw how much this pleased the Jewish people, he also arrested Peter. (This took place during the Passover celebration.) Then he imprisoned him, placing him under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring Peter out for public trial after the Passover. But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him.”
The church “very earnestly” praying for Peter. Later in the chapter, we learn that the prayer meeting is going strong throughout the night. If you read the entire account in Acts 12:1-19, you discover that God sends an angel who miraculously breaks Peter shackles, and ultimately guides him through several open prison gates and past multiple guards.
Once free, the angel leaves Peter in an empty street. Peter makes a beeline for the church’s prayer gathering. When he knocks on the door, a young girl answers the door but does not unlatch the door out of fear. When she takes the news that Peter is at the door to the rest of the group, they reject the idea. The answer to their prayer is literally at the door but they don’t believe the news. Only Peter’s continued knocking motivates them to open the door. Even as they opened the door, they didn’t believe the answer was going to be there. Yet there he was!
The first time I remember reading Acts 12, I confess that I felt very judgy about the church’s response. I think my exact thought was, “Why were you praying if you didn’t think God could do it?!” Now before you make my mistake, I want to encourage you to consider how many very human moments you’ve had like this. Have you ever had a moment where you knew the power of God and you were praying for a move of God, yet you found your faith slipping and your doubt growing?
Me too.
It’s in those moments that I’m so grateful for the community of believers - the church! This is why worship can be so powerful for us. When I stand and sing in worship gatherings, I often look around and think about the circumstances the people around me are experiencing. There’s something powerful about worshiping with people who are choosing faith amid doubt. Watching them sing calls me to greater faith.
I look over and see Mary who attempted suicide and was battling depression all week declaring that God is a Waymaker, working even when she doesn’t feel it.
@Leeland's Way Maker
"Even when I don't see it, You're working
Even when I don't feel it, You're working
You never stop, You never stop working
You never stop, You never stop working"
Laura is battling cancer and celebrating God’s presence with her. Greg’s marriage is hanging in the balance and he’s struggling to believe his best days are ahead, yet he’s claiming the blessing of God, whose face shines upon him.
@Kari Jobe's The Blessing
"The Lord bless you
And keep you
Make His face shine upon you
And be gracious to you
The Lord turn His
Face toward you
And give you peace"
Tim barely paid the bills last week and returns home each night to painful isolation. He’s listening to others sing about “love like thunder,” even as he struggles to sing those words.
@RICHLIN's Love Like Thunder
"Your love is like the thunder
Shakin' every heart, You're the light that's breakin' through the dark
Your love is like the thunder"
This is how Skye Jethani defines the church. “A church—being an assembly of believers—is simply a community that wrestles with God together. It’s where we struggle openly rather than privately, and where questions are asked and sometimes answered. But when no answer is found, the church is also where we find comfort, support, and encouragement.”
In a time where we are praying but may not have faith, worship unites us by building our faith and setting the stage for God to move in miraculous ways. If you’re struggling with doubt, uncertainty, or even impatience as you wait for God to move, here are a few questions to reflect on. The answers could change your approach to your circumstance, to worship, and even to the way you’re relating to God.
3 Questions to ask when you're in God's waiting room:
- How are my unanswered questions or unresolved prayers holding me back?
- If God answered the prayers I’m praying today, what would change tomorrow?
- How can you lean on the faith of others as you continue to wrestle and struggle?
In 2020, our worship gatherings have looked different and many of us have been reminded of how important it is to be with other believers lifting our voices together in worship. Whatever our experience of worship looks like at the present, worship unites us and builds our faith in God’s power and character.
Scott Savage is a pastor and a writer who believes he has the best last name ever. He leads Cornerstone Church in Prescott, Arizona. Scott is married to Dani and they are the parents of three “little savages.” He is the creator of the Free to Forgive course and you can read more of his writing at scottsavagelive.com.
