I’m frequently listening to Pastor Steven’s sermons on Spotify, YouTube, or the Elevation on app on a weekly basis. Sometimes I just stream his services live on YouTube on Sunday mornings. Sometimes I catch the replays. Listened again this morning on my drive to the job to one of his sermons from last year which was particularly great, “Surprise!”

In this sermon Pastor Steve touches upon that aspect of God’s nature that is not so predictable. Sometimes God needs you to give space to allow him to work, for He works in unexpected ways that cannot always be foretold or predicted in advance.

You may like to be surprised. You may love surprises. You may dislike being surprised. You may hate surprises. Most likely you like or love surprises when they come in forms that are pleasing to yourself. And most likely you dislike or hate surprises when they come in forms that you find unpleasant. Maybe the timing is not right for a moment? Maybe the color of the gift is wrong? Maybe the messenger is too gruff? Maybe the friend is too needy? Maybe the new person in your life arrives when you were planning on being alone for awhile?

We want the gifts. We want the rewards. We want the blessings. We want the love. But we we want them our way. We put down limits. We make requests. We’re picky. We’re too specific. We put God’s Will into a box by expecting Him to do things our way instead of as it is in His Will to do.

God works in God’s Way. His Will can be surprising, amazing, miraculous, unexpected, and unpredictable. We may not always like how He does things. Sometimes we may absolutely hate how He does things. But God is a way maker, a miracle worker, and a light in the darkness.