The Bible says, “Now to him [God] who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine…” Until this year, I took the word more to mean “greater” or “bigger.” After all, I have a great imagination and God said He could do more than all I can imagine. That must be some grandiose stuff!

But then my life got flipped-turned upside down when the “more” I had been asking for didn’t materialize as I imagined. At first, I got angry at God. Then I got confused. Gradually, as God began to chip away at my ego, I learned something. More doesn’t always mean bigger. Sometimes more means better.

Case in point: In June, I broke a bone in my foot in four places (I’ve always been an overachiever!), which landed me in a walking boot for several weeks. It makes going anywhere a pain in the asterisk.

I was recently at Wal-Mart and had to sit down on a bench for a moment because my foot was hurting. Also on that bench was an older woman named Barbara, whose downy-like hair told everyone she’d recently had chemo. We talked and eventually my husband walked up, and he asked if he could pray for her (which he did).

It was a holy moment.

I didn’t expect it. Plan for it. Or even look for it. But God had done more than I had imagined. And I almost missed it because having a broken foot was NOT one of the things I’d dreamed of and prayed for. It was not how I imagined my summer.

In American culture, we define “more” as being greater in quantity or larger in scope. Supersize everything, please. But I’m (very) slowly learning that more can refer to quality and not just quantity. After all, the rich young ruler whom Jesus encountered had everything (quantity), but still knew something was missing in his life (quality).

That encounter with Barbara was more than I could have asked or imagined. In the eternal scheme of things, it was much better than my mobility. It certainly had greater significance–for both of us.

The question is: What are you missing out on because it doesn’t match your plans, definitions or dreams? Don’t be so focused on what you want from God that you miss out on what God wants to give you.

What He offers is always better than you could imagine.