Cynthia is 47 and has been a full-time Gospel singer since graduating college with a degree in music arts. Music has always been her world, and she’s genuinely grateful for a career she’s thoroughly enjoyed. She’s met nearly all of her favorite Gospel artists, even shared stages and green rooms with many of them. But now, Cynthia finds herself at a crossroads.
Doctors have advised her to give her vocal cords a serious rest. Physically, she’s tired. Twenty-five years on the road have taken a toll, and although she’s met some amazing people along the way, she’s lonely. The distance and constant travel have made it hard to sustain relationships. None of them have lasted long, and for the past six years, she’s only dated occasionally—with no real commitments.
Recently, an old high school classmate reached out through social media. Back then, he was the class nerd—quiet, awkward, but smart as a whip. What Cynthia never knew was that he secretly fell for her the first time he heard her sing in the seventh-grade choir. He’s always carried a soft spot for her in his heart, but she never noticed him. Like her, he never married, but life kept him busy—he’s now a vice president at a tech company, active in his church, and well-respected in his community.
After exchanging a few messages, he invited her to an event his church was sponsoring. Cynthia declined—politely—but dismissed him almost as quickly as she did back in high school. He wasn’t her type. Not a musician, not a singer, not a choir director. Just a good, available, honorable, saved man… but still, not her type.
Cynthia didn’t think twice about turning him down. In her mind, God’s best for her would come wrapped in a package she was familiar with—someone who shared her musical passion and lifestyle. But what if God was trying to give her something new? Something stable, real, and rooted in the kind of love that grows deep, not just wide?
Sometimes we pray for blessings, ask for companionship, even cry out for something meaningful—but when it shows up in a way we’re not used to, we brush it off. It doesn’t look how we thought it would. It doesn’t fit our type. But the truth is, our “type” isn’t always God’s Will.
Proverbs 16:25 (NLT) says, “There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.” That may sound a bit dramatic, but it speaks to how when our preferences are unchecked, they can blind us to God’s direction. We lean on what we’re used to instead of leaning into what He’s doing.
Cynthia’s story isn’t about settling. Some of us might think so, but there’s no such thing as settling when it comes to God’s Will. He’s the One with the plan for our lives, and He knows exactly what He’s doing. He only wants what is best for us. So, it’s about being open. Open to the possibility that God knows what she needs in this next chapter of her life more than she does. Maybe the blessing she’s been waiting for isn’t coming through a microphone or a tour bus, but through a conversation with someone she once overlooked.
Ephesians 3:20 (NLT) reminds us that God “is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” That includes healing our hearts, restoring our strength, and sending blessings we didn’t even know we needed.
When the prophet Samuel went to anoint the next king of Israel, he was certain he’d recognize the right one based on looks, stature, and presence. But 1 Samuel 16:7(NLT) tells us that God corrected him, saying, “People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” That moment wasn’t just about choosing a king—it was about showing all of us how easily we can misread what God is doing because we’re focused on the surface.
Cynthia, like many of us, had a checklist. Years of living in a specific lane had shaped her expectations. She imagined the man who would come alongside her life would carry a microphone, know his way around a choir stand, and understand the rhythm of Gospel ministry. But God might be writing a new melody—one with a slower tempo, grounded in peace, companionship, and purpose outside of performance.
What if this man from her past—faithful, consistent, and grounded in the Word—wasn’t a detour, but a divine appointment? When we cling too tightly to our preferences, we risk overlooking God’s provision. His blessings don’t always come in the wrapping we expect, but they always come with His signature—peace, goodness, and fruit that lasts.
So the question becomes personal: Are you as open to God’s blessings as you should be? Have you shut the door on something—or someone—because it didn’t look like what you had in mind? Could it be that God is presenting you with a new chapter that requires you to trust Him more than your instincts? It’s easy to pray for favor, but it can’t be filtered through our preferences; it doesn’t work that way. Psalm 84:11 (NLT) says, “For the Lord God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.” If He’s not withholding it, don’t put yourself in a position of resisting it. Let go and let God. ■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“Are You as Open to God’s Blessings as You Should Be?”, written by Rev. Fran Mack. Edits by Kim Times and K. Lizzie for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2025. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.