When God Doesn’t Show Up The Way You Expected

“And Mary said, “Behold, the Lord’s bond-servant; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.” Luke 1:38, NASB

Christmas stirs hope for celebration and traditions that take place only one time each year. Happy children, delicious meals gathered around tables with loved ones, and plates of delectable cookies.

The Christmas season stirs an expectant kind of hope in my spirit.

As a child, it stirred hope for new baby dolls and bicycles. As an adult, Christmas stirs hope in the reminder that Jesus has come – and that he will one day return and make all things new.

However, even in the midst of our Christmas hopes, sometimes, Christmas doesn’t meet our expectations.

On a greater scale, sometimes God doesn’t meet our expectations. And the holidays can be a startling reminder that things didn’t turn out according to our plans.

Maybe you expected to be holding hands with your new husband as you unwrapped the gifts beneath the tree this year, but now you face this season alone.

Maybe you expected to swaddle your own precious baby, but instead you feel empty and barren.

Maybe the Christmas dinner table is a piercing reminder of the loved one you lost this year.

How do you step into a new season, embrace a painful holiday, and trust God when he doesn’t show up in all the ways you expected?

Scripture offers practical insight from none other than Mary, the virgin mother of God-in-the-flesh.

Let’s not allow familiarity to lead us to gloss over the details of this familiar story. God has just thrown Mary the curve ball of all curve balls. The angel Gabriel has just appeared to inform Mary that she will soon give birth to the Son of God. Not only is she an unwed virgin who now has a story no one will believe, but she has also been told that she is about to give birth to the promised Messiah, the long-awaited Son of God.

But here is Mary’s response to Gabriel: “Behold, the Lord’s bond-servant; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.” (Luke 1:38, NASB)

In this simple phrase, Mary exemplifies three attitudes that can help us through moments when God didn’t show up the way we expected:

1. We Express Wholehearted Service to God

By calling herself God’s servant, Mary emphasizes her total commitment to serve and follow God, even when the details do not make sense. Perhaps, the details surrounding your unexpected circumstances don’t make sense. You haven’t caught a glimpse of the fully pieced-together puzzle.

Pause to tell God that you trust him, even with what you cannot see. Commit to keep following him, even when the path before you is not yet illuminated. He promises to provide just enough light for you to keep putting one foot in front of another (Psalm 119:105).

2. We Surrender to God’s Plan

Mary could have listed dozens of reasons why an unexpected pregnancy was a bad idea. She could have pled for God to make a different way. Have you ever paused to consider why Jesus would come into the world in a way that seemed just a little scandalous?

Perhaps He wanted to show the people, through His entry to the world, that their rules and rote religious practices were not pleasing to Him. Perhaps He wanted to defy expectations and blow through cultural standards of what is “acceptable.” Mary surrendered to God’s will, even at the expense of her own reputation. God calls each of His children to submit to His plan, even when we don’t understand it.

3. We Tie Ourselves to the Lord

The Greek word for bondservant also signifies a master and slave who are literally tied together. The bondservant is wholly devoted to the master; the two share the same interests. In like manner, Mary set her own interests aside for the will of the Lord.

It’s not easy to lay down our interests, especially when they were birthed through pure motives and godly desires. However, even pure motives cannot replace the sovereign will of a God who works in ways we cannot fully comprehend. If you are struggling to embrace some part of your life, will you tie yourself to the Lord and follow Him, even into places you don’t understand?

The power of God to work through a life that is fully surrendered to Him is greater than we could ever imagine.

May you follow in the footsteps of Jesus’ mother Mary as you walk with God through the unexpected parts of your Christmas season.

Author: Stacey Pardoe from www.staceypardoe.com