The Spirit Challenges Our Assumptions | Disrupting Change
May 3, 2026
We all make assumptions—about people, situations, and about what God is like and how God works. In this week’s message, we look at the story of Samuel, who nearly missed God’s choice because he was focused on outward appearance instead of inward character. The Holy Spirit still works this way today, challenging what feels familiar and helping us see value where we may have overlooked it. Real change often happens when we let God interrupt our certainty and teach us to see differently.
READ
1 Samuel 16:6–7
When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely his anointed is now before the Lord.” But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him, for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
REFLECT
1. Is there someone you may be seeing through frustration, stereotype, or old history rather than fresh eyes?
2. What do you and your culture value? What does God value? Where do you see these two align or misalign?
3. Who tends to be overlooked, underestimated, or unheard in our community? How do you see God working through people or places you may least expect?
RESPOND
Holy Spirit, I surrender my assumptions and expectations to You. Reveal where I have judged others by appearance, comfort, or familiarity instead of Your wisdom. Break the walls of bias and open my eyes to see what You value. Teach me to trust Your discernment above my own. Spirit, reshape my perception, expand my understanding, and help me recognize the overlooked, the hidden, and the unexpected work of God around me.