When We Don’t Expect God to Show Up

Somewhere along the way, the church got comfortable.

We still sing the songs. We still gather on Sundays. We still say the prayers.

But deep down—if we’re honest—we’ve stopped expecting anything to really happen.

In Mark 6:1–13, Jesus returns to His hometown. You’d think His people would welcome Him with celebration. Instead, He’s met with skepticism. Dismissed as “just the carpenter.” Familiarity replaced faith—and Scripture says something that should shake every one of us:

“He could do no deed of power there… And He was amazed at their unbelief.” (Mark 6:5–6)

Not because Jesus wasn’t powerful.

But because they didn’t believe He would do anything.

And that’s where we are today.

We’ve grown so used to the idea of God that we’ve lost the expectation of God.

We’ve become so settled into our traditions that we’ve stopped praying bold prayers.

We’ve gotten so comfortable in church culture that we don’t even realize when we’ve closed the door on Christ.

Nostalgia Over Newness

We long for the “good old days” of church. And I get it.

Full pews. Sunday School classes for every age. Potlucks and choirs and revival services.

But sometimes we let nostalgia run the show.

We spend more time preserving the past than perceiving what God might be doing now.

“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” – Isaiah 43:19

God isn’t stuck in the 1960s or 1980s or 2000s. The Holy Spirit didn’t retire.

But when we worship tradition more than transformation, we end up like Nazareth—unmoved by Jesus because we no longer recognize Him unless He looks exactly like He used to.

Prayerless Faith

We talk about prayer. We “send thoughts and prayers.” But when’s the last time we actually depended on prayer?

We plan first, pray later.

We trust the news more than the Gospel.

We panic over politics but barely whisper a word to heaven.

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” – Psalm 20:7

The American church has trusted in everything but God—our bank accounts, our governments, our comfort, and our routines. We’ve made idols of political parties, policies, and personalities. We say Jesus is Lord, but our faith rises and falls with election cycles and cultural wars.

And that’s not Christianity. That’s spiritual cowardice disguised as conservatism.

Safe, Small Prayers

Let’s be blunt. Many of us have stopped praying bold prayers because we’re afraid to be disappointed.

We’re afraid to look foolish.

We’re afraid that if we ask too much and God doesn’t deliver, it might shake our faith.

So we keep our prayers small and polite.

But a small, polite God isn’t the one who raised the dead and sent fire from heaven.

A God who can “do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20) doesn’t need our carefully filtered requests.

He needs our faith.

Jesus can still do mighty things. The real question is—do we want Him to?

Because He won’t force His way in.

If we want a church where nothing ever changes and no one gets uncomfortable—He’ll let us have it.

But don’t expect Him to stick around for the potluck.

Wake Up, Church

If the church feels lifeless, it’s not because Jesus changed.

It’s because we stopped expecting Him to show up.

He’s still moving. Still healing. Still speaking. Still calling. Still sending.

And if He’s not doing those things in our churches, maybe the problem isn’t Him.

Maybe we’ve just stopped making room.

Maybe we’ve become Nazareth.

A Prayer

Lord,

Forgive us for getting comfortable.

For trading Your presence for routine.

For putting our trust in systems, structures, and safety instead of Your Spirit.

Wake us up.

Stir us to pray bold prayers.

Teach us to expect your presence and power again.

Let us be a people who welcome You with open hearts, not crossed arms.

Amen.