Making Room for What God Wants to Do

November 2, 2026 | When Hope Comes Home — An Eight-Week Journey Toward Advent

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” — Luke 1:38 (NIV)

Have you ever noticed how much stuff we accumulate over the years?

I'm not just talking about the things we collect in our homes, although I suspect most of us have closets, drawers, or garages filled with things we haven't used in years.

I'm talking about the stuff we accumulate in our lives.

Habits. Routines. Expectations. Traditions. Ways of thinking. Ways of doing things.

Some of those things are good. They provide stability and help us navigate the uncertainties of life. But sometimes we become so comfortable with the familiar that we have a difficult time imagining anything different.

And that can be especially true in the Church.

I've worked with congregations that have closets filled with supplies from ministries that haven't existed for twenty years. Sunday school classrooms that have become storage rooms. Filing cabinets filled with records nobody has looked at in decades. The basic rule in most churches is if it has a flat surface you can store stuff on it.

And when someone suggests cleaning things out, you would think they were proposing to sell the family farm!

But here's something I've learned over my many years in ministry.

Sometimes, before God can lead us into something new, we have to be willing to make room for it.

That doesn't mean everything old is bad. Far from it.

But it does mean we need to learn the difference between holding on to what is valuable and holding on simply because it's familiar.

And as we continue our journey toward Advent, I can't think of a better person to teach us about making room for God's plans than a young woman named Mary.

When God Interrupts Our Plans

I wonder what Mary had planned for her life.

The Bible doesn't give us many details about her dreams or expectations. We know she was a young woman from Nazareth, pledged to be married to Joseph.

Like most young women preparing for marriage, she probably had some expectations about what the future might hold.

Then one day, the angel Gabriel appeared with an announcement that would change everything.

She was going to have a child.

Not just any child.

The Son of the Most High.

The One whose kingdom would never end.

Can you imagine?

Mary hadn't asked for this assignment. She hadn't submitted an application to become the mother of the Messiah. And she certainly hadn't been given time to prepare for what Gabriel was announcing.

God was inviting her into something far greater than anything she could have imagined.

And Mary's response is remarkable.

She had questions. Of course she did!

"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" (Luke 1:34, NIV)

But after Gabriel explained that the Holy Spirit would come upon her, Mary responded with words that have echoed through the centuries:

"I am the Lord's servant. May your word to me be fulfilled."

Think about the courage behind those words.

Mary couldn't possibly have understood everything that lay ahead. She didn't know about the journey to Bethlehem, the shepherds, the flight into Egypt, or the suffering she would eventually witness at the cross.

She didn't have all the answers.

But she trusted the One who had called her.

Mary's faith wasn't demonstrated by having everything figured out. It was demonstrated by her willingness to trust God with what she didn't understand.

And I wonder how often we miss opportunities to participate in God's work because we insist on having all the answers before we're willing to say yes.

The Danger of Becoming Too Comfortable

One of the greatest challenges facing established congregations isn't necessarily a lack of faith.

Sometimes it's an abundance of familiarity.

We know how Sunday morning is supposed to work.

We know when the announcements happen, which hymns people prefer, and where everybody likes to sit.

We know which events belong on the church calendar because they've always been there.

And there's comfort in those familiar rhythms.

But there's also a danger.

Over time, we can begin confusing the way we've always done things with the way God expects them to be done.

We can become so committed to maintaining our traditions that we lose sight of the mission those traditions were intended to support.

And when that happens, our churches can become very busy preserving the past while missing opportunities to serve the present.

The prophet Isaiah spoke to God's people during a season when they desperately needed to recognize that their future was not limited to their past.

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?" (Isaiah 43:18–19, NIV)

God wasn't telling Israel that its history was unimportant. He was calling His people to recognize that the God who had been faithful in the past was still capable of doing something new.

That's an important distinction.

We should celebrate our church's history.

We should honor the faithful people who came before us.

We should remember the sacrifices that made our ministries possible.

But we must never become so devoted to yesterday's methods that we become unavailable for tomorrow's mission.

The Gospel doesn't change.

Our calling to make disciples doesn't change.

But the ways we connect with people, build relationships, and share the love of Christ may need to change.

And sometimes that requires making room.

What's Taking Up Space in Your Church?

When I work with churches seeking renewal, I sometimes encourage them to take a good look at everything they're doing.

Not just their physical spaces, but their ministries, programs, committees, and traditions.

Then I ask them to consider three possibilities.

Renew it. Replace it. Or retire it.

Some ministries simply need to be renewed.

They still serve a valuable purpose, but perhaps they've become tired or disconnected from the people they're intended to reach.

Maybe your church has a wonderful tradition of hosting community meals. But attendance has declined, and the same handful of volunteers are exhausted from doing all the work.

Rather than abandoning the ministry, perhaps it's time to ask how it might be renewed to better serve the community.

Other ministries may need to be replaced.

Perhaps a program that worked well twenty years ago no longer connects with the people living in your neighborhood.

The need may still exist, but the way you meet that need may need to change.

And then there are ministries that may need to be retired.

Now, I know that can be difficult.

Some programs carry precious memories. They represent years of faithful service and meaningful relationships.

But ending a ministry doesn't mean it was a failure.

Sometimes it simply means its season has come to an end.

Think about it this way.

A farmer doesn't leave last year's crop standing in the field because it produced a wonderful harvest.

He clears the ground and prepares for another season of planting.

Perhaps some of our churches need to do the same.

Not because the past was bad.

But because God is still calling us to bear fruit.

Making Room for One Excellent Mission

One of the things I've been encouraging smaller churches to do is discover their One Excellent Mission.

Rather than trying to maintain every ministry they've ever offered, I challenge them to prayerfully consider what God has uniquely equipped them to do exceptionally well right now.

What are the greatest needs in the community?

What gifts and passions has God placed within the congregation?

Where have they already seen evidence of God's blessing and direction?

When those three things begin to intersect, a church may discover an opportunity to make a meaningful difference in its community.

But here's the challenge.

Discovering your One Excellent Mission is only the beginning.

You also have to make room for it.

If your church calendar is already overflowing with activities that no longer contribute to making disciples, where will you find the time and energy to pursue something new?

If your volunteers are exhausted from maintaining programs that have outlived their purpose, how will they have the strength to build new relationships?

If every dollar in your budget is committed to preserving the way things have always been, how will you invest in reaching the people God is calling you to serve?

Sometimes the greatest obstacle to a new ministry isn't a lack of resources.

It's an unwillingness to release something else.

And that requires courage.

It requires prayerful discernment, honest conversations, and a willingness to trust that God may be leading us beyond what is familiar.

You cannot embrace every new opportunity while insisting on holding tightly to everything from the past.

Making Room in Our Own Lives

But before we start cleaning out the church closets or rearranging the ministry calendar, perhaps we need to take a look at our own lives.

Because this isn't just a lesson for congregations.

It's a lesson for every follower of Jesus.

What might be taking up space in your life that God wants to use for something different?

Maybe it's a schedule so crowded that you've stopped making time for prayer and Scripture.

Perhaps it's a relationship that needs attention, but you've been too busy to invest in it.

Maybe it's an attitude you've carried for years, a resentment you haven't released, or a fear that keeps you from stepping out in faith.

Or perhaps you've become so comfortable with your routines that you've stopped asking God what He wants to do through you.

I wonder how many opportunities we miss because we're too busy doing what we've always done.

Mary's response to Gabriel challenges me.

She didn't say, "Lord, I'd love to help, but this really isn't a convenient time."

She didn't ask for a five-year strategic plan.

She didn't insist on knowing how everything would turn out.

She simply offered herself to God.

"I am the Lord's servant."

That's a powerful prayer.

And maybe it's one we need to pray more often.

Lord, I'm available.

Lord, I'm willing.

Lord, show me what needs to change.

Lord, help me make room for what You want to do.

Now, that doesn't mean every new idea comes from God or that every interruption is a divine assignment.

Discernment matters.

We need to test our decisions against Scripture, seek wise counsel, and listen carefully for the leading of the Holy Spirit.

But we also need to be careful that our desire for certainty doesn't become an excuse for disobedience.

Sometimes faith means taking the next step without knowing exactly where the road will lead.

Advent Is About Making Room

In a few weeks, we'll begin celebrating Advent.

We'll hear the familiar story of Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem. We'll remember the humble circumstances surrounding the birth of Jesus.

And we'll be reminded that when the Son of God entered the world, He didn't arrive in the way most people expected.

There was no royal welcome.

No palace prepared for His arrival.

Luke tells us that Mary laid her newborn son in a manger because there was no guest room available for them.

I don't want to stretch that detail into something Luke never intended, but it does raise a question worth considering.

Have we made room in our lives for the One whose coming we celebrate?

We can become so busy preparing for Christmas that we neglect preparing our hearts for Christ.

We decorate our homes, plan our gatherings, purchase gifts, and fill our calendars with activities.

And before we know it, Christmas has come and gone.

We've celebrated the holiday without spending much time reflecting on the Savior.

Advent invites us to do something different.

It invites us to slow down.

To listen.

To examine our priorities.

To make room for prayer, worship, generosity, and the relationships that matter most.

And perhaps, like Mary, to say, "Lord, I am Your servant. Let Your will be done."

Because the greatest gift we can offer God isn't a perfectly organized church or a carefully managed life.

It's a willing heart.

A Final Word of Encouragement

This week, I'd like to challenge you to consider one simple question.

What might I need to release to make room for what God wants to do?

If you're a pastor or church leader, perhaps you could begin by looking at your congregation's calendar.

Is there a ministry that needs to be renewed?

A program that needs to be replaced?

A tradition that has faithfully served its purpose and can now be retired?

Don't make those decisions hastily or without involving the people who have invested themselves in those ministries.

But don't avoid the conversation simply because it might be uncomfortable.

And if you're reading this as someone who simply wants to grow closer to Christ, take a look at your own schedule and priorities.

Is there something you need to set aside so you can spend more time with God?

Is there a relationship that needs your attention?

Is there an opportunity to serve that you've been putting off?

You don't have to change everything this week.

Just identify one place where God may be inviting you to make room.

Then take one faithful step.

Remember, Mary didn't know the whole story when she said yes.

She simply trusted the God who was writing it.

And perhaps that's where our own renewal begins.

Not with having all the answers.

But with a willing heart that says, "Lord, I'm available."

Join Me on the Journey Toward Advent

This is the fourth article in our eight-week series, When Hope Comes Home: Preparing Our Hearts for the God Who Comes Near.

Each Monday, we're exploring how God meets us in the ordinary and sometimes difficult seasons of life as we prepare our hearts for Advent and Christmas.

These reflections are also helping shape a new sixteen-day Advent devotional centered on hope, peace, joy, and love.

Next Monday, November 9, we'll explore "Peace Isn't the Absence of Trouble." We'll consider Jesus' promise of peace in John 14:27 and discover why genuine peace doesn't depend on having everything in our lives or churches under control.

And I'd love to hear from you.

Have you ever had to let go of something good to make room for something God was calling you to do?

Share your experience in the comments. Your story may encourage someone else who is struggling with an important decision.

And if this article encouraged you, please share it with a pastor, church leader, or friend who needs a reminder that God is still doing new things.