Podcast Summary: Elevation with Steven Furtick

Episode: When Waiting Isn’t Working (Muddy Moves)
Date: February 15, 2026
Host: Pastor Steven Furtick

Overview

In this engaging and highly practical sermon, Pastor Steven Furtick explores the theme of what to do "When Waiting Isn't Working." Using John chapter 9 as the anchor, where Jesus heals a man blind from birth, Furtick unpacks the tension between waiting on God and moving in obedience—even when circumstances are muddy, unclear, or uncomfortable. The message confronts spiritual procrastination and challenges listeners to examine whether passivity is masking underlying disobedience. Furtick encourages taking "muddy moves"—imperfect, uncertain steps that align with God's instruction—even amidst pain, mess, and waiting for ideal circumstances.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Story of the Blind Man: Waiting vs. Washing

Scripture Foundation: John 9:1-12

• Jesus heals a man born blind, using mud made with spit and telling him to wash in the pool of Siloam.
• The miracle required an act of obedience: the man had to go and wash, not just wait for something to happen.

Quote:

"The man didn't see Jesus, but Jesus saw the man. We could preach a whole sermon on that—about how when you weren't even looking for him, he found you."
(Steven Furtick, 07:25)

2. God Moves Quickly—But Sometimes We Don’t

• Reflects on how “it doesn’t take God long” to work, but we can get stuck.
• Relates this to real life—sometimes our “waiting on God” is spiritualized avoidance or procrastination.

Quote:

"It doesn't take God long to work. The one who created the world in six days and said, well, we could chill on the seventh because I'm done... God chooses when he wants to move, but when he moves, it doesn't take him long."
(Steven Furtick, 13:45)

3. The Difference Between Patience and Passivity

• Furtick shares from his own ministry journey when he wrestled with expanding to two services.
• Emphasizes: “The only thing harder than waiting on God is wishing you had.”
• Explains that sometimes we claim we're "waiting on God" when actually we’re disobeying or delaying obedience.

Quote:

"Are you calling it waiting when it's really disobeying?"
(Steven Furtick, 21:00)

4. Debate vs. Display: Disciples Saw a Problem, Jesus Saw Potential

• The disciples wanted to debate about the man’s past and whose sin caused his blindness.
• Jesus instead saw an opportunity to display God’s works.
• Warning against getting stuck in theological debates instead of participating in compassion and action.

Quote:

"The disciples saw a debate, but Jesus saw a display. They saw what happened to this man as a problem to discuss, but Jesus saw it as a platform for glory."
(Steven Furtick, 28:50)

5. Moving in Obedience—Even When It’s Muddy

• Imagines if the blind man had just waited for the mud to work, rather than obeying the instruction to go wash.
• Challenges: Are you “waiting” when you should be washing? Obedience often involves risk, messiness, and vulnerability.

Illustration:
Furtick sings a playful "remix" of “I'm Gonna Wait on You” to highlight how waiting for perfect conditions leads nowhere:

"I'm gonna wait on you... and Jesus goes, I told you what to do, you better get moving. That's the remix for all of us who are claiming we're waiting when you know God already gave you a word, you just didn't like what he told you to do."
(Steven Furtick, 39:30)

6. Three Unhelpful Things We Wait On

Furtick boils the issue down to three obstacles:

1. Perfect: Waiting for everything to be ideal before acting.
2. People: Waiting for others’ approval or validation.
3. Pain-free: Waiting to feel no discomfort before moving.

Quote:

"We wait on perfect. We wait on people. We wait on pain free. Are you waiting when God said 'wash'?"
(Steven Furtick, 48:00)

A. Waiting on Perfect

• We want situations and ourselves to be flawless before obedience.
• God specializes in starting with dirt—perfection isn’t required for God’s work to begin.

Quote:

"How can you wait for perfect when you have a God who started with dirt?"
(Steven Furtick, 54:00)

B. Waiting on People

• Warning not to let others' opinions or slow recognition define or delay your obedience.
• Jesus pushed the man out of his familiar environment; transformation sometimes requires separation for self-discovery.

C. Waiting on Pain-Free

• Freedom from pain or struggle isn’t a prerequisite for obedience.
• Even Jesus acted under pressure, after others wanted to stone him (John 8:59 – John 9:1), yet he still saw and healed the blind man.
• Sometimes God doesn’t "take away” the pain, but gives us grace (cf. Paul’s thorn, 2 Corinthians 12:9).

Quote:

"You don't have to wait for the pain to go away, but I'm looking for 1,600 people who will praise him right up in the middle of it, with mud on my eyes, with questions in my heart, with pain in my soul."
(Steven Furtick, 63:05)

7. Application & Call to Action

• Encourage listeners to examine: Where are you waiting for perfect, people, or pain-free?
• Challenge: Obey when God gives a word, even if it's messy, unclear, or unfinished.
• God’s grace is sufficient, and obedience is the only way forward.

Closing Prayer Invitation (Salvation) [1:04:00]:

• “He loves to do miracles with mud. The Lord brought you here... this is your opportunity to receive him. That's all you have to do. All you have to do is wash. He already provided the blood.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Having the Courage to Move in Uncertainty:
  “These are not pretty steps. These are not dance moves. These are muddy moves, but I am making them.” (Steven Furtick, 59:50)

• On God’s Use of Our Mess:
  “If you ever find the perfect church, don't join it because you'll ruin it. Are you waiting on perfect when the Savior specializes in mud?” (Steven Furtick, 56:35)

• On Self-Acceptance Over Others’ Opinions:
  “He sent him to a pool so that the dirt could be removed, so his true self could be revealed. You haven't even seen yourself yet. Long enough, other people defining you by what you did.” (Steven Furtick, 61:05)

• On Grace Through Pain:
  “My grace is going to be enough, and it's going to be sufficient... So I'm not going to take away—I'm going to make a way.” (Steven Furtick, 63:40)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [07:25] - Jesus sees the blind man
• [13:45] - Emphasizing “it doesn’t take God long”
• [21:00] - Are we waiting or disobeying?: “Are you calling it waiting when it’s really disobeying?”
• [28:50] - Debate vs. Display (disciples vs. Jesus)
• [39:30] - “I’m Gonna Wait on You” remix, challenging false waiting
• [48:00] - Three things we wait for: perfect, people, pain-free
• [54:00] - “How can you wait for perfect when you have a God who started with dirt?”
• [56:35] - Church perfectionism anecdote
• [59:50] - “These are muddy moves, but I am making them.”
• [61:05] - “He sent him to the pool to see himself.”
• [63:05] - Praising God in pain
• [63:40] - “My grace is sufficient.” Application to Paul’s thorn
• [1:04:00] - Invitation to faith / salvation prayer

Final Message

Action Encouraged:
Stop waiting for perfect conditions, permission from people, or the disappearance of pain. Instead, make muddy moves in obedience to God’s word today. Miracles unfold not in the waiting alone but as we move, wash, and obey.

Mic-Drop Statement:

"You cannot replace obeying with waiting. Hearing the word of God does not change you. The value is in the application—it’s like mud on your eyes. God has to get it on you, and then you have to get it off you."
(Steven Furtick, 44:20)

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