It got worse when I found it, I wasn’t prepared for the surprise; the format was corrupted. That meant I couldn’t approach an agent.
Most people know that I hate surprises, good or bad (my parents had it rough). I like surprising other people, but I don’t like surprises. Maybe it’s because I’m a man or because I’m a control freak.
A life lived in faith guarantees surprises, because we’re not in control. We will make mistakes, get hurt, and hurt other people. That’s life, it’s a mess!
Financial guru Dave Ramsey says to set up an emergency fund because, “You don’t know what’s going to happen in life.” The hard truth is life is full of surprises and it will go berserk.
From the early days of Jewish history to Jesus’ victory on the cross, God was up to something bigger than what the religious wanted. Don’t say amen, yet. This means we may get disappointed. Remember the story about Jesus’ friend Lazarus?
Mary and Martha expected Jesus to come in and save the day. But, that isn’t what happened. No, Jesus let him die. Only so He could do something bigger and bring him back from the dead (John 11:1–44.)
What about the Jews’ expectation of a worldly King? They were caught by surprise when Jesus came as a suffering servant to die on a cross. They didn’t realize God had something much bigger planned. We’ve all experienced those moments.
As I think about my disappointing summer, I can see what God was doing. He knows better than I do. I shared earlier this year that a young woman I met wasn’t “my” type and I still ended up falling for her. I let my walls down and although I got hurt, I learned a serious lesson.
Sometimes our boundaries can keep the very blessings God has for us out. Just when I had given up on writing and ministry, something unexpected happened.
A mutual friend let down her walls and began sharing her struggles with me. It was her honesty and faith that has inspired me to continue pursuing a writing career. When things get tough, she’s first to say, “God’s got this!”
God’s Got This?
In the 1800s the colonists decided to venture beyond the Mississippi river boundary to explore expand trade routes. This meant months of travel through dangerous territory, those early settlers trusted God to provide on their journey. History records the surprises they faced, God made a way and the West was won.
Then there’s the great Exodus. God’s children were freed and headed towards their dream, the Promise land (Exodus 13:1-14:31). The quickest route was through Philistine.
But the Philistines were their enemies and God didn’t want His people to get scared and then want to go back to Egypt. So God took them the long route and before they got to the Red Sea, they wanted to go back to Egypt.
And God tells them to be still, they are caught between the Red Sea and Pharaoh’s Army, paralyzed with fear and need to be rescued. Like a good good Father God plans a surprise (Matthew 7:9-11)!
