Leave Room For God To Surprise You
Have you ever noticed that some of the most beautiful moments in your life were the ones you never planned? The ones that showed up when you least expected them — when you had finally stopped trying to control every little detail and just let God be God?
Sweet friend, if there is one thing I have learned over the years, it is this: God does His very best work in the spaces we leave open for Him. But here is the thing — we have to actually leave those spaces open. And that is not always easy, is it? We like our plans. We like knowing what comes next. We like feeling like we have a handle on things. But God? He loves writing endings you never saw coming. And if you are willing to loosen your grip just a little, what He has waiting for you will blow your mind.
Today, I want to walk through five beautiful reasons why leaving room for God to surprise you might just be the most faith-filled thing you ever do.
Why Your Plans Are Not Always Gods Plans
Let me ask you something. Have you ever planned something down to the very last detail — and then watched the whole thing fall apart? Maybe it was a career move. Maybe it was a relationship. Maybe it was something you had been praying about for months or even years. And when it did not go the way you expected, you were devastated.
But then, weeks or months or even years later, you looked back and thought, “Oh. I see it now. That was not a closed door. That was a redirection.”
Proverbs 16:9 says, “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps” (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+16%3A9&version=NIV).
You can plan all day long, and there is nothing wrong with that. God gave you a brain and a heart and the ability to dream big dreams. But sweet friend, your plans are limited by what you can see. Gods plans? They are not limited by anything. He sees the full picture — the beginning, the middle, and the ending you have not even imagined yet. So when things do not go according to your plan, take a deep breath and remember: His plan is still right on track.
How God Uses Waiting Seasons To Prepare You
Can we talk about the waiting for a minute? Because I know some of you are in a season of waiting right now, and it feels like nothing is happening. It feels like God hit the pause button on your life and walked away.
But here is the truth — He did not walk away. He is right there with you. And what feels like nothing happening is actually everything happening. God uses waiting seasons to prepare your heart for what is coming. He is building your faith. He is strengthening your trust. He is getting you ready for something you are not quite ready to receive yet.
Think of it this way. A farmer does not plant a seed and dig it up the next morning to see if anything is growing. He trusts the process. He waters the ground. He waits. And when the time is right, something beautiful breaks through the soil.
Your waiting is not wasted. Your waiting is holy ground. Something is growing beneath the surface, and when God reveals it, you are going to be so glad you did not give up.
Closed Doors Are Gods Loving Redirections
Nothing stings quite like a closed door, does it? Especially when you were so sure it was supposed to open. You prayed about it. You believed it was yours. And then — nothing. The door stayed shut, and you were left standing there wondering what went wrong.
But sweet friend, here is what I want you to hear today: a closed door does not mean God said no. Sometimes it means He said, “Not this one. I have something better.”
Romans 8:28 tells us, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8%3A28&version=NIV).
All things. Not just the pretty things. Not just the easy things. All things — including the closed doors, the disappointments, and the moments that made you cry into your pillow at night. He is working every single one of those for your good. So the next time a door closes in your face, do not stand there beating on it. Turn around. Look for where He is leading you instead. Because that next door? It is going to be something you never could have found on your own.
What Happens When You Surrender Control To God
This is the hard part, is it not? Surrendering control. Letting go of the steering wheel when everything inside you wants to grip it tighter.
But I want to tell you something. Some of the most incredible breakthroughs in your life will come the moment you stop white-knuckling your way through and just say, “God, I trust You. I do not understand what You are doing, but I trust You.”
Surrender is not giving up. It is giving over. It is saying, “I believe You love me enough to lead me somewhere good, even when I cannot see the road ahead.” And when you do that — when you really let go — something shifts. The anxiety loosens. The pressure lifts. And suddenly there is space. Space for peace. Space for clarity. Space for God to move in ways that will leave you standing in awe.
You were never meant to carry all of this by yourself. You were never meant to figure it all out on your own. God is asking you to hand it over — not because you are weak, but because He is strong enough to carry what you were never designed to hold.
Trusting That Gods Timing Is Always Perfect
I know what you might be thinking. “But Marilyn, I have been trusting. I have been waiting. And I am tired.” Sweet friend, I hear you. And I want you to know that being tired does not mean you are failing. It means you are human.
But here is the promise you can hold onto today. Gods timing is perfect. It has never been early. It has never been late. And it is not going to start being wrong now.
Jeremiah 29:11 says, “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” (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+29%3A11&version=NIV).
He knows the plans. Not you — Him. And His plans are to prosper you. To give you hope. To give you a future that is brighter and more beautiful than anything you could have designed on your own. So do not rush the process. Do not try to force things into place before their time. Leave room — real room — for God to surprise you. Because when He does, you will look back on this season and say, “That was worth every moment of waiting.”
You do not have to have it all figured out today. You do not have to know how the story ends. You just have to trust the One who is writing it. He loves you more than you know, and He has surprises in store for you that will make your heart sing.
So today, sweet friend, I am asking you to do one brave thing: let go. Just a little. Open your hands and open your heart, and leave room for God to do what only He can do.
Have you ever had a moment where God surprised you with something better than you planned? I would love to hear your story — leave me a comment and let’s encourage each other today.
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With love and faith, Marilyn 💜