Have you ever noticed that sometimes our expectations are different from God’s expectations?
For instance, perhaps you’ve entered into a time of fasting and prayer expecting God to give you an answer to a particular area of your life where you are struggling. Maybe you’re looking for a miracle or a change in your circumstances, only to find to find that much to your surprise the change that God wants to make is inside of YOU.
Maybe He’s pointing out sin in your life that He wants you to overcome.
For another, He could desire to heal a hurt or memory from the past that is holding you back in life.
He might even be trying to stretch you into an area that you didn’t want to go or never thought you could try.
While you entered into this time thinking it would lead you in a certain direction, you’re finding as time goes on that the Holy Spirit has a totally different route mapped out.
I understand. I’ve been there---many, many, many, many, many times before (I was tempted to put in another “many” but I thought it would be a bit much.)
Whenever this happens the temptation is always there to feel frustrated, confused, and maybe even fight the direction of the Holy Spirit and try to get Him to conform to your agenda. There’s a part of us that wants to have an attitude and say, “Uh, Excuse me….I think we’re supposed to be focused on THIS area…You know, the area that’s important to ME!”
At this point I think the Heavenly Father laughs and thinks, “You may think that’s the important area, but I KNOW what’s important. If you’ll just follow Me, we’ll get exactly where you need to go to follow My plan for Your life.”
The truth is that ultimately God knows what He needs to change IN US before He can use us to change the world AROUND US.
That’s why I encourage you to fully surrender to whatever direction the Holy Spirit leads during the various seasons of your life. Even if He leads you on an unexpected detour, follow Him remembering that God’s ways are always better than our ways, and He has a purpose and plan for your life that only He knows how to fulfill.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My (God’s) ways higher than your ways and My (God’s) thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9)
"’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” (Jeremiah 29:11)
In the end, rest assured that no matter what paths He uses to get you where He knows you need to go, the final destination will be greater than anything you could have ever expected or imagined.
“God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, His Spirit deeply and gently within us.
Glory to God in the church!
Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus!
Glory down all the generations!
Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!”
Ephesians 3:20-21 (The Message)
