Let’s be honest—most of us have an idea of how we think God should show up.
We pray. We hope. We picture a certain outcome. And when God doesn’t move the way we imagined? It shakes us. Sometimes it even breaks our trust.
That’s what Palm Sunday reminds me of.
When Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a borrowed colt, the crowd erupted in celebration. They laid down cloaks and palm branches, shouting “Hosanna!”—which literally means, “Save us!” They were convinced their new king had come to overthrow the Roman Empire. They expected power. They expected victory.
But they didn’t get what they expected. And by Friday, those same voices shouting “Hosanna!” were crying out “Crucify Him.”
I’ve Been There Too
Fourteen years ago, I begged God to heal my dad from cancer. I prayed, friends prayed, strangers prayed. We poured everything into asking for a miracle. I was sure that because so many people were praying, God would heal him. I really believed it.
But he didn’t survive.
It felt like my prayers had been ignored. And to be honest, that experience deeply wounded my faith. I started to wonder if prayer even worked. If God was really listening. If He really cared.
And yet, in the quiet of my grief, God gently whispered something that changed everything:
“Marcie, I did heal him. I healed him perfectly.”
That moment cracked something open in me. I realized I had been asking for a very specific kind of healing—earthly healing. But God saw a bigger picture. My dad was made whole in a way only heaven can offer. No more pain. No more suffering.
It wasn’t the answer I wanted. But it was the one my soul needed.
Maybe You’ve Been There Too
Maybe you’ve prayed for healing and didn’t see it.
Maybe you hoped for restoration and got silence.
Maybe you expected one outcome and got the opposite.
Palm Sunday forces us to reckon with this truth:
Jesus didn’t come to meet our expectations. He came to meet our deepest needs.
And that’s a tough pill to swallow when you’re hurting.
So What Do We Do When God Doesn’t Show Up How We Hoped?
Here’s what I’m learning—and maybe it’ll help you too:
1. Name Your Expectations
Ask yourself honestly: What was I hoping for? What was I expecting?
Write it down. Say it out loud. Be real with yourself and with God. He can handle your honesty.
2. Ask Where That Expectation Came From
Was it something someone told you? Something culture taught you? Something you assumed God would do?
Sometimes, we expect things God never promised.
3. Practice Acceptance and Gratitude
This isn’t about pretending everything is fine. It’s about noticing what is still good.
Even in my darkest season, God gave me support, moments of peace, and eventually, clarity.
4. Choose to Trust Again
Trust is a decision, not a feeling. And it’s one we have to make daily—sometimes hourly.
When things don’t go how you planned, whisper this: “God, I don’t understand, but I trust you anyway.”
Don’t Miss Jesus Just Because He Shows Up Differently
The crowd expected a king on a war horse. But Jesus came humbly, riding a colt.
They expected power. He offered peace.
They wanted control. He offered surrender.
And we still do the same today.
So let me ask you: What are you expecting from Jesus this Holy Week?
Are you expecting Him to fix your life—or transform it?
There’s a big difference.
Palm Sunday reminds us that we can still shout “Hosanna!”—not because Jesus meets all our demands, but because He meets our deepest need: Himself.
So whatever disappointment you’re carrying, I want to encourage you with this:
Don’t miss the Messiah just because He rides in differently than you expected.