By Steven Temple

Guest Columnist

 

There are so many things in this life that come up suddenly and take us by surprise. Many of these things are joyous occasions and great things. On the other hand, some are generally met with hurt and sorrow. The fine line between them can sway to either direction without any type of warning or alert.

It is always great to receive an unexpected good thing. It just hits us differently and we find fondness in the happening. We can unexpectedly find money on the ground, get the news of a new baby joining the family, or receive some type of gift out of the blue. On all of those occasions, a smile will embrace our faces.

Then there are those things that we do not expect that punch us right in the gut. Those that knock the wind out of us. From losing a loved one, losing a job, some type of sudden troubles, or whatever the case may be. On those, we are overcome with so much devastation and sadness.

A huge contrast in emotions depending on what side of the spectrum that these unexpected things come to our lives. We can be on top of the mountain one moment and find ourselves in the valleys of grief in the next. The main constant in these unexpected things is that we can not be prepared for what is taking place. We do not have the ability to see into the future and prepare ourselves for what is about to take form. We do not even have the ability to control how we react when they appear.

Whether we ever come to the knowledge of why or why not these things happen when they do we can do nothing about them except to go through them. There is no shortcut or plan to not have these unexpected things arise but when they come, we have to overcome them by going through them.

The only plan that we should have is choosing not to allow these unplanned events to rob us of life. Things come to us that will try to derail us from the plans and purposes we are given. Moving through these things is more about continuing to live a life of purpose and passion and not just surviving the moments.

Many things in this life will take us by surprise. Many times we will be caught off guard. Many times we will find ourselves in shock and disbelief. We do not know what the next moment of our lives behold but we can be assured that God does. Nothing gets past Him. Nothing changes His plan for us. We may not see things coming but God prepares us in the waiting.

In Jeremiah 29 it says, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” With so many unexpectancies in this life, we can be assured of and expect one truth, God gives us an expected end. He has made a way for us beyond this life, beyond the grave, beyond the troubles, beyond the hurts, beyond the surprises of life, to expect to meet Him in our heavenly home. Will you trust in that process today?

Pastor Steven Temple is the Pastor of The Church on the Hill in Rose Hill, VA. Pastor Steven and the congregation invite you to come worship with them. Services are Sunday morning Bible Study at 10am, worship 11am, and Wednesdays at 7pm.