Looking For The Wrong Rock

Sunday Rewind is a 5-day Devotional based on the weekly sermon at Resonate Community Church

December 14th Sermon, Day 1

Have you ever been so focused on one thing that you completely missed something else happening right in front of you? In 2013, astronomers around the world had their telescopes trained on an expected asteroid, watching intently for its approach. But while they were looking in one direction, an entirely different meteor blazed through the atmosphere over Russia, catching everyone off guard and injuring over 1,500 people. They were so focused on the expected that they missed the unexpected.

This happens to us more often than we'd like to admit. We get tunnel vision about how we think God should work in our lives. We expect Him to answer our prayers in specific ways, show up in particular circumstances, or move through certain people. But God rarely works within the narrow confines of our expectations.

Mary and Joseph understood this. When their carefully planned engagement was interrupted by angelic announcements, they could have focused on their shattered expectations. Instead, they chose to trust in God's bigger plan, even when it looked nothing like what they had imagined. This Christmas season, what expectations might be limiting your ability to see God at work?

Are you so focused on how you think things should go that you're missing how God is actually moving? Sometimes the very thing we're looking for is right there, but it doesn't look like what we expected.

Bible Verse

'For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.' - Isaiah 9:6

Reflection Question

What narrow expectations in your life might be causing you to miss how God is actually working around you?

Quote

Sometimes our narrow expectations cause us to miss the very thing we're looking for.

Prayer

Lord, help me to release my narrow expectations and open my eyes to see how You are working in ways I never imagined. Give me the faith to trust Your plan even when it doesn't match my own. Amen.