DO YOU LIKE SURPRISES?

“God often surprises us at unexpected moments.” – Unknown.

Do you love surprises, or do you hate them? One group loves the element of surprise, while another avoids surprises at all costs. You will experience surprises, and you shouldn’t be surprised when God surprises you.

Surprising isn’t just a characteristic God demonstrates in our lives; it’s one He repeatedly exhibits throughout the Bible. Name virtually any story in the Bible, and you’ll find some surprise.

God shocked Moses by calling him to lead his people to their new home. Sarah laughed when God decided to grant her prayer to have a child, long after she ever believed it was possible. Elijah discovered God’s wonder, not in the crashing roar of a storm or earthquake but in a whisper. The angel visited Mary, startling her with the news that she would give birth to the Son of God. The disciples were amazed at seeing Jesus perform miracles and walk on water. No matter how vivid his imagination, Saul never expected to experience Jesus on that Damascus Road. And let’s not forget the greatest surprise of all: God in the human form of Jesus, coming to earth to die for our sins.

We live in the potential of a surprise from God all the time.  The question is, will the surprises of life paralyze us? Of course, it will challenge our faith and trust in Him, and it’s human nature to question and wonder why God would allow certain things to happen. When God surprises us with an opportunity, our first reaction is to view it from the perspective of our sufficiency. We fear the unknown, we fear the loss, and we fear the uncertainty. We often are surprised because we put God in a box and expect Him to act in specific ways, preferably how we see things playing out. God’s plans may catch us by surprise, but they never surprise Him. He knows the plans that He has for us.  You must be prepared to trust His plan, knowing it could contain a few surprises.

In the face of surprises, we have God’s grace. We know that God will give us enough grace and strength to get through anything we are going through, even if that includes a few future surprises that we don’t like. At times, God’s plan can be intimidating or even scary. You may be intimidated by its demands or disappointed. So, let yourselves be surprised by God.

Don’t be afraid of surprises, afraid that they will shake you up. Surprises make us insecure, but they also change the direction we are going in. Sometimes, we need to remind ourselves of what God has done and demonstrated about Himself to see what He is doing now or trust what He might do or will do in the future.

Discussion Questions:

1. How do you feel about surprises?
2. What would it take for you to let go and let God show you the next step in His plan for you? Is fear holding you back?