The Meantime Before The Miracle
October 11th, 2026 | Pastor Russ Smith | 7 Minutes
What happens after you pray but before the answer comes? Fear speaks, circumstances seem louder than God's promises, and an honest question rises: “God, don't You care?” The disciples asked that question while a storm filled their boat—even though Jesus was with them. This difficult space between a request and its answer is the meantime. It can feel like a mean time, but it does not have to become a corridor for fear. God is still at work when the miracle is not yet visible.
When fear questions the goodness of God
In Mark 4:35–41, Jesus invited His disciples to cross the lake. A fierce storm arose, waves broke into the boat, and the disciples panicked while Jesus slept. They woke Him with a question deeper than the weather: “Teacher, don't You care that we're going to drown?”
They did not question Jesus' power or knowledge; they questioned whether He cared. Fear corrodes our confidence in God's goodness. Waiting can feel like absence, and silence can be mistaken for indifference.
Jesus rebuked the wind, stilled the water, and asked why they were afraid. His presence did not prevent the storm, but the storm did not cancel His word that they were going to the other side. When we pray for physical, emotional, relational, spiritual, or financial healing, we can hold to this truth: nothing is impossible for God, and He is doing something.
Faith stays active while the answer unfolds
Ezekiel 37 pictures a valley of dry bones. God promised to make them live, then told Ezekiel to speak His message. The bones came together and bodies formed—but there was still no breath. The promise was in progress, not complete. There was a meantime even within the miracle.
God told Ezekiel to call for breath. He obeyed, breath entered the bodies, and they stood as a great army. Waiting was not passive; God called Ezekiel to echo what He had said.
Remember the healing God has brought, the relationships He has restored, and His provision. Fear creates spiritual amnesia, making today's struggle seem more convincing than God's past faithfulness. Faith refuses to let present uncertainty erase yesterday's testimony.
What do you do in the meantime? Ask again. Waiting on God is not standing motionless; it is continuing to pray, remember, speak, and trust while He works.
Do not hide when God comes near
Second Timothy 1:7 says that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. Jesus tells His followers to receive His peace and not be afraid (John 14:27). Fear rehearses disasters that may never happen and says hiding is safer than trusting.
That pattern appears in Genesis 3. Adam heard God in the garden and hid because he was afraid. God's question—“Who told you that?”—still exposes the voices behind fear. Who told you God will not meet you? Who told you failure disqualifies you from coming near? Do not retreat. Repent of allowing fear to govern you, and receive His forgiveness and courage.
Remember the miracle and keep praying
James 5:15 says, “The prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well.” Pastor Russ connected that promise to his story. As a child, he was diagnosed with a hole in his heart and told he would need open-heart surgery. His family and church prayed before doctors performed further tests.
The tests could not find the hole. In 2022, heart tests again found no hole, although doctors could still hear a murmur. Pastor Russ sees it as a reminder of the miracle. His story included a meantime, but he traces its beginning to his mother bringing the need before God and believing for healing.
Do not deny the storm, diagnosis, or delay, but refuse to let fear have the final word. Bring the need to God, ask others to pray, and trust the One who is able.
Common Questions About Faith in the Meantime
How can I keep fear from weakening my faith while I wait?
Stop rehearsing your fear. When we feel overwhelmed, we can become trapped in thought patterns shaped by fear and anxiety. As soon as you recognize that you are spiraling, pause and capture the thought. Ask objectively: Is this true, or is it a lie? Does this help me hope for what I cannot see, or does it create dread about what might happen? Then resolve to trust God and cling to hope (2 Corinthians 10:5–6; Romans 12:2).
When fearful thought patterns return, put on worship music and meditate on the words. Listen to a Bible-centered sermon or podcast. Memorize a Bible verse and repeat it aloud. Reach out to another Christian and ask that person to pray with you.
What does it mean to “ask again” without treating prayer like a formula?
A formula is a reusable tool that makes a job easier, but prayer and faith come from the heart. When you make your requests known to God, ask yourself: Is my heart really in this, or am I only performing a religious routine? God does not want empty religion; He wants your heart.
Share what is on your heart honestly. If you are frustrated, fearful, or worried about your circumstances, tell Him. Be real with God in prayer and continue bringing your requests to Him (Philippians 4:6; Matthew 6:5–8).
Is waiting on God passive, or is there something I should be doing?
Waiting on God is not passive; it is being ready to serve. Jesus teaches His followers to serve others generously, as though they were serving Him. Walk in step with the Holy Spirit and obey when He prompts you to act.
Read your Bible daily, worship regularly, attend church, and talk with other Christians about Jesus. Share the gospel and your experiences of Jesus. Look for ways to help: meet a need, comfort someone who is hurting, pray for those who ask, and give generously. Deny sinful desires and keep walking in step with the Spirit. You can do all of this while you wait (Matthew 5:13–16; Galatians 5:22–25; Matthew 7:12; Matthew 25:34–40).
How do I know whether I am speaking faith or merely denying reality?
Faith is hope for what we cannot see. Practicing faith can sometimes appear unrealistic, naïve, or foolish, but Christians do not practice faith in a vacuum. God's gift to the Christian is the Church. The same Holy Spirit who raised Christ from the dead lives in you and in other Christians around you. He gives wisdom when it is needed and confirms what He speaks through multiple witnesses.
If you are unsure whether your faith is well-founded or foolish, seek counsel from wise, experienced Christians who can speak into your situation. Faith does not require isolation or pretending that circumstances are different from what they are.
What should I do if I have prayed for healing but have not yet seen a change?
Keep praying for complete healing and, in faith, thank God for that healing before it happens. God has promised to restore all things to the proper order He intended. He will heal all sickness and do away with death entirely. Those promises are coming, so we can thank Him now and hold on to hope. In the meantime, keep asking for healing now (Philippians 4:6; Revelation 21:3–4).
Put It Into Practice
Write down three specific ways God has already brought healing, provision, restoration, or help into your life. Read the list each day this week before praying again about your current need. Let the record of God's faithfulness confront the “spiritual amnesia” fear creates and remind you that the present struggle does not erase what He has already done.
God is still at work in the meantime
The meantime may test faith, but it does not prove that God has stopped caring. Jesus is still Lord over the storm, and dry bones are not beyond His power to restore. Do not let fear erase God's faithfulness or drive you into hiding. Keep asking, keep remembering, and keep agreeing with His word. Nothing is impossible for God. Even before you can see the finished answer, He is doing something.
Watch The Full Sermon
Want to explore this teaching more deeply? Watch the complete message from City Church of Surprise on YouTube.
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