Grab a Shovel: Preparing for the Miracle You're Praying For

Have you ever prayed desperately for something, only to feel like God wasn't answering? Maybe you're in that place right now – waiting for rain in a spiritual drought, wondering why the heavens seem silent. What if I told you that God might be waiting for you to pick up a shovel before He sends the rain?

The Expectation Gap
Most of us have experienced what I call the "expectation gap" – that frustrating space between what we expect to happen and what actually occurs. It's that state of disappointment when reality doesn't match our expectations.

You've heard of it, right? It's like when you have high expectations for a restaurant, but leave disappointed because the experience didn't match what you anticipated. Or on a more serious note, when you're praying and believing for something to turn out a certain way, but it doesn't happen as you expected.

These expectation gaps can leave us frustrated, hurt, confused, and might even cause us to question our faith. So what's the solution? Lower our expectations?

I'm joking, of course – but that's exactly what many of us do! We start with high expectations, but after disappointment, we gradually lower them to avoid getting hurt again. That young woman with high standards for a godly husband eventually settles for "if he falls into the male category." Or after being hurt by someone you trusted, you decide never to let anyone close again. Or maybe after feeling let down by a church, you decide to never truly connect with a faith community again.

But here's what I believe: God doesn't want us to lower our expectations. He wants us to raise them.

The Three Kings' Dilemma
In 2 Kings 3, we find a story that perfectly illustrates this principle. Three Kings – the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom – joined forces to go to war against Moab. With their combined armies, victory should have been easy. But they faced an unexpected problem:
"After a roundabout march of seven days, the army had no more water for themselves or for the animals with them" (2 Kings 3:9).

They were in a drought, desperate and facing a crisis they couldn't control. And it's amazing how fast we become desperate for God to move when something unexpected hits our lives!

These Kings had been ruling their kingdoms without any reference to God. But now that they found themselves in a mess, they wanted God to intervene. Sound familiar? As long as things are going well, we can get lazy with church, prayer, and reading the Word. But when crisis hits, our desire to connect with God suddenly returns.

When We Can't Control Our Circumstances
Here's my personal belief: there are times when God allows (not causes) things to come into our lives simply to draw us back to Him. He'll use a broken-down car, the loss of a job, a bad medical diagnosis, divorce papers, or even a drought. He takes these things that we have no control over and uses them to bring us back to Him.

Those things you're going through that you wish would go away? They could turn out to be the best thing that ever happened to you. Our Cody Arbuthnot's mom and dad will tell you that the accident that left him without a leg was the best thing that happened to him because it brought him back to where he needed to be.

If we never went through heartbreak or trouble, many of us would never find ourselves in the arms of Jesus. Let's be honest – the only time God hears from some of us is when we're going through something difficult.

Grab a Shovel and Dig
When the three Kings were desperate for water, they sought out the prophet Elisha. After some initial resistance, Elisha finally gave them God's message: "This is what the Lord says: Dig ditches all over this dry stream bed" (2 Kings 3:16).

Can you imagine their reaction? They were exhausted, dehydrated, and desperate for rain. They wanted Elisha to pray a short prayer and – BAM! – have the heavens open up with rain. Instead, he told them to grab shovels and start digging.

Here's the key: Only God can make it rain, but He calls us to grab a shovel.

That's not what we want to hear. We want someone to pray over our situation, and then we can just sit back and wait for the miracle. But God is trying to pry the phone out of your hand, the remote out of your hand, the pride out of your hand, and replace those things with a shovel so you can start digging.

Let me be clear: I'm not saying you can earn your salvation. We're saved by grace, not by works. But 99% of the time, before God sends a miracle, before He sends the rain, He calls us to grab a shovel and begin making preparations for the miracle He wants to send.

Faith That Keeps Digging
Real faith keeps digging when others have stopped. Real faith keeps digging when the ground gets hard. Real faith keeps digging when others are laughing at you.

In three weeks, we'll be kicking off our Christmas series called "The Worst Christmas Ever." Those four weeks will give you opportunities to invite friends to a place where they can hear a message that can change their lives. And on December 21, the Sunday before Christmas, we're going to blow it out with dance and music.

But here's the thing – don't just pray for your friends to come. Grab a shovel and dig a ditch for them. You have a relationship with people that I don't have. You can speak into their lives in ways I cannot. They expect a pastor to invite them to church, but when you as a friend, neighbor, or coworker invite them – that's powerful.

And when they say no, and you keep asking? You're digging a ditch. Every time they refuse and you persist, you're preparing for the miracle God wants to bring.

What Digging Looks Like For You
Elisha told the Kings, "I know you want it to rain. I know you need the rain. So dig ditches. Grab a shovel."
What does that look like for you?

• For the single person: God is concerned with you becoming the right person more than finding the right person.
• For someone frustrated in their job: Keep digging. Don't give up.
• For the couple ready to give up on their marriage: Keep digging.

As Paul said in Galatians 6:9, "Don't become weary in well doing, for in due season you will reap the reward if you don't give up."

Faith doesn't always make sense. Can you trust God today, knowing He's already in your future, preparing the miracle He wants to give you?

The Miracle Comes When You Least Expect It
Elisha told the Kings something remarkable: "You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle, and your other animals will drink" (2 Kings 3:17).

They wouldn't see the natural signs they would expect for rain – no clouds, no wind. They had to trust God and keep digging even though they couldn't see or feel anything happening.

And what happened? "The next morning, about the time for offering the sacrifice, there it was, water flowing from the direction of Edom, and the land was filled with water" (2 Kings 3:20).

They had worked digging the ditches with no sign of any miracle, laid down to rest, and woke up to the miracle!

Life Application: Start Digging Today
God isn't calling you to have faith to finish. He's calling you to have faith to start. Just start digging.

What does that look like for you?

• For some, digging means forgiving someone
• For others, it means repenting of a sin
• Maybe you need to ask someone to forgive you
• Perhaps you need to start trusting God with your finances
• For many, it means inviting someone to church
• For others, it means showing up and faithfully serving

Whatever it is, don't just start digging – keep digging. Keep digging even when you're tired, even with calluses, even with a sore back, even when your muscles are cramping, even when doubt or fear creep in.

Why? Because you trust in the God who holds tomorrow in His hands.

I believe God wants to send the rain in your life. But before we ever see it, we have to be obedient to what He says. What is it in your life that only God can do? What are you bearing beneath your smile and mask?

God is speaking to you today: Grab a shovel. Not only are you preparing for the miracle you've been praying for, but God will also destroy the enemy that has been wreaking havoc in your life – if you'll just pick up the shovel and start digging.