God Is Not Surprised by Our Unexpected Messes

“I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!” (Isaiah 65:24).

The Lord does not need us to fully realize what His plan is for our lives to start accomplishing it! He is all-knowing, everywhere, and in control. Though the world seems to bend on its hinges, stretching them in a way they were not meant to bend until they inevitably crack under the pressure, the Lord is in control. God is not rattled by the effects of sin in the world, and it’s not ever going to stop Him from accomplishing His purposes. He has the power to work, even through dire straits, to bring about good.

More than we can ask for or imagine is happening as we speak. He never stops moving, working, loving and listening to us. Before we are done praying, He is already answering. That alone is more than we can ask for or imagine. The Holy Spirit in us is powerful to discern and decipher the contents of our hearts and souls and lift our prayers up to the Lord who already knows.

One of the incredible notes of the nature of God is His desire to have a relationship with us. Even though He sees our current state, and knows what we need, before we ask Him, He wants us to ask Him. We are made for a close relationship with our Creator. More than we can ask for or imagine includes a relationship with the One True God. The apostle John wrote: 

“But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!” (John 15:7).

Remain is relational. Remain is a choice to be with. We have the opportunity daily to remain in the Lord, and allow His words to remain in us. When we are in close relation to God in such a way, our requests and desires of our hearts are closely aligned with the purposes of God. His more than we can ask for or imagine becomes our greatest desire, even though we can’t always see or know exactly what that is. Paul wrote:

“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (Phil. 2:13).

Paul knew more than anyone what it meant for God to rescue him from an unexpected mess. He ended up blind when he came face to face with Jesus. Paul was persecuting Christians when he met the Messiah. In the darkness, Paul changed from his very core. When his sight was restored, he was a completely new person, able to see from the Lord’s perspective, instead of his own.

The Lord has more than we can ask for or imagine for us in this life. When unexpected messes blindside us, we can hold onto and remember these truths as we regain our composure and look to assess the damage. Each and every element of our lives has the potential to draw us closer to the Lord, if only we will come to Him with our lives as a living sacrifice. 

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Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Jessica Peterson

Meg is a graduate of Ashland University. She is a writer, author, editor, and digital content creator. She stepped away from her job in Internet Marketing in 2008 to raise her daughters, which gave her passion for writing a chance to shine through her blog, Sunny&80… Life within the Love of Christ. Meg has served as a Children’s Worship Team Leader and Middle School Leader for her local church. She founded and led the Breakfast Club Bible Study for Tweens, has served as a Young Life Leader and Committee Member, and led Women’s Bible Study. She has also volunteered as a content creator for her local church, studied Bible/Ministerial Training through Global University, completed COMPEL PRO Writers Training, and is Ethically AI Certified. A contributing writer for Salem Web Network since 2016, Meg is now thrilled to be a part of the team at Salem Web Network. You can find her entire library of books on her Amazon Author Page.