When God Says “Yes” (But Your Heart Is a Mess)
Melissa Miller
Author of But I Prayed for This
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17, NIV).
One of the hardest times of my life wasn’t a traumatic event (although I’ve faced several); it was when I got everything I had prayed for.
I moved across the country for an exciting job opportunity and adopted a sibling set from foster care. It was a time of celebration … and complete disorientation. New state. New kids. New job. New schedule.
My life felt like a snow globe that got wildly shaken up. And most days I felt unqualified to handle it all. But I was afraid to share how much I was struggling because, after all, this is what I had prayed for. I didn’t want to seem ungrateful. So I picked up my backpack full of guilt, tried to smile big, and carried on.
Have you ever been there, holding a blessing in one hand and confusion in the other? You wonder when you’ll feel like yourself again and if you somehow missed God’s plan or prayed wrong. If so, same, girl. Same.
I started prayer walking in this season, and one particular walk became a pour-my-raw-heart-out-before-God walk. I realized God was not disappointed in me; rather, He was a soft place to land for the feelings I was most afraid to admit. And when I searched the Scriptures, I discovered that I’m in good company with people who had mixed emotions as they stepped into God’s plans.
Moses should have felt honored and excited to be chosen as Israel’s leader to the promised land. But instead, he felt unqualified and wanted God to pick someone else. The Israelites had been set free from slavery, but instead of rejoicing, they grumbled and missed their old life.
Aren’t you supposed to feel confident when God chooses you? And why would anyone miss their old life when they got the good change they had prayed for? It turns out that, as far back as the ancient world, humans have had a hard time adapting to change.
Proverbs 14:13 reminds us, “Even in laughter the heart may ache” (NIV). Mixed emotions don’t mean you’re ungrateful or that you chose wrong; they simply mean that you’re a human adjusting to a big change. One emotion doesn’t cancel out the other, and God’s grace is big enough to hold both.
James 1:17 says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” It’s not God’s gifts that are unchanging; it’s God. When everything in our lives is shifting, God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is the steady rock on which we can build our lives.
When everything changes, we can find refuge in the arms of a God who never does.
Jesus, I bring You all my mixed feelings about my season of change. Help me to find refuge in Your arms, and give me grace to carry out my calling. I’m grateful for every gift in my life, but I’m especially grateful for Your unchanging love. In Jesus' name, amen.
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FOR DEEPER STUDY
Malachi 3:6a, “I the LORD do not change” (NIV).
Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (NIV).
What is one change you are still adjusting to? How does it feel to know that God’s character and love don’t change? We’d love to hear from you in the comments!
© 2026 by Melissa Miller. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries
P.O. Box 3189
Matthews, NC 28106
www.Proverbs31.org
Originally published Monday, 28 September 2026.
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