Unexpected events can be uplifting as well as challenging. They could be the news of an unexpected pregnancy when it was thought impossible. It could be news of the reuniting of family members who didn’t even know of the existence of one another. It could be the answer to prayers spoken decades ago.
The unexpected blessings are generally much less stressful than the challenging ones. But God can, and does, carry us through the challenges of life.
When I was new in my relationship with Jesus, I had a friend who was out to dinner with her husband. They were in their mid-thirties. It was Valentine’s Day. The children were home with a sitter. As Dana and her husband sat across from each other enjoying their meal, her husband had a heart attack and died at the table.
That was the first of many experiences that God used to help me to be aware that the unexpected can happen – when we least expect it. But He is the One prepared for them, because they are not unexpected to Him. He has the events of our lives fully under His sovereign control. If you don’t believe that Biblical truth, please spend time in His Word. Ask His Spirit to help you find confidence in God.
God is the only one who knows what events will take place, and when they will occur. He wants to help us in and through life’s struggles.
But God has given us His Word, the Bible, to help us fill our hearts and minds with truths that we can grasp when the unexpected happens in our lives.
1 Peter 5:6-7: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”
Matthew 6:33-34: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
The Bible provides written accounts of men and women who had the unexpected take place in their lives. We can learn from their experiences what to do, and what not to do.
Consider Adam and Eve. They hadn’t expected to be tempted to sin by Satan. After all, he had been one of the creatures they thought they were watching over. But God had prepared them for this temptation, by clearly delineating what was acceptable and what wasn’t. Therefore, they had the knowledge necessary to defeat this temptation. They chose to succumb to the lies of the enemy.
What’s the lesson for us? 1 Peter 5:8 states it this way: “Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour.” John 15 reminds us that the way to not be tossed about by the unexpected is through remaining in Jesus.
Acts 2:42-47: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
According to the above Acts passage, how did the people of the early church prepare themselves for the unexpected?
This is what I see they did:
–They were devoted to the teaching of God’s Word. Today we can have a Bible in our homes. They didn’t have that privilege. How often do you thank God for this privilege?
–They were intent on true fellowship with others who followed Jesus. They didn’t just socialize. True fellowship includes time together in God’s Word, talking about what Jesus is doing in our lives, and sharing meals.
–They spent time remembering Jesus as they celebrated communion.
–They were intent about talking with God, aka prayer.
–They shared their resources, even if it meant selling them off so that everyone could be provided for as the needs arose. Therefore, when the unexpected happened, and someone was financially in trouble, needing a place to live, or in need of clothing, their fellow Christ followers helped provide.
–They met in the temple courts. This exposed them to those who needed to hear the Gospel message. It also exposed them to those who wanted to thwart their efforts to share the Gospel. It was certainly a place of vulnerability, where the unexpected could occur.
–They had sincere hearts and praised God. Praise lifts our hearts and emotions. Praise is the language of heaven. Praise helps us get our footing when the unexpected wants to stumble us.
The early church was prepared for the unexpected because they focused on the Lord. They did what it took to abide in Him. They knew troubles would come, and they would sometimes be unexpected. Jesus had warned them, and the warning is for us also: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
Accurately understanding and knowing the character of God also equips us to remain steady in the Lord when the unexpected wants to trip us up. When we look into His wonderful face, the things of this life to grow dim. When the things of this world – health issues, financial troubles, relationship struggles – want to trip us up, we need to peer into the face of our great God. Focusing on His attributes [His love, His faithfulness, His omnipotence, His compassion, etc.], His Holy Spirit removes the fear and anxiety that want to unnerve us.
Memorizing God’s Word is another way for us to prepare for the unexpected. God’s Holy Spirit helps us draw from His living Word, so that we can center our thoughts, and find His peace and contentment in the unexpected.
Here is my summary of how we can stand firm when the unexpected wants to overtake us:
Spend time with God every day.
Spend time with God every day by reading the Bible.
Spend time with God every day by reading the Bible and thinking, pondering, and meditating on it.
Spend time with God’s people – build Godly relationships.
Spend time with God’s people in weekly corporate worship.
Spend time with God’s people in some way daily – a short phone call, a cup of coffee, in Bible study, etc.
If you are experiencing an unexpected event, and want to talk or pray with someone, please reach out to me at: ButGodCares@gmail.com.
Living for Jesus, Donna
P.S. If this has helped you, please share it with others!
Note: If the verses for Bible references do not appear when you hover over them, go directly to the website, and they should appear for you. Also, please remember to look at the full context of the verses by reading the complete passage.
Copyright 2025 Donna Shappy All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other – without the prior permission of the author.