Don’t Let Unmet Expectations Cost You Your Miracle

2 Kings 5:10-15a, ESV

And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.” But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, “Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper. Are not Abanac and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage. But his servants came near and said to him, “My father, it is a great word the prophet has spoken to you; will you not do it? Has he actually said to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and he came and stood before him. And he said, “Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel; 

Naaman imagined that his healing would take place one way—and when it didn’t go that way, his unmet expectations almost cost him his miracle.

God’s answer was “yes,” but his way was different. 

It was less showy. 

It took longer. 

It was dirtier. 

It was humbling.

And it changed Naaman from the inside-out.

So often we get angry with God and assume he’s not answering our prayer, when his yes just looks different than we imagined. 

It’s less showy.

It takes longer. It’s dirtier.

It’s more humbling.

And it changes us from the inside out.

Oh Lord, thank you for your yes! Thank you that you are the God who answers prayer. Help us to be patient and willing to walk in faith when your ways look different than what we imagine. Amen.