Expect the Unexpected - Martin Wiles

Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. 1 Peter 4:12 NLT

Ominous clouds threatened as my wife and I eased into the parking space. We did not expect the unexpected. 

Hot, humid weather had peppered the previous week. Pop-up showers increased by the day. But on one particular evening, I had a wedding to officiate. A few rain showers had already passed by earlier in the afternoon, and I hoped for fair weather since the reception was outside.

Shortly after we pulled into our parking space, large pellets of rain began to fall. As the winds increased, I anxiously watched the reception tent. Although a few odds and ends blew away, most things stayed in place. They had expected the unexpected. The tent was securely staked. Long, heavy tablecloths clung to the tables. Wrapped utensils kept the napkins from blowing away. Apart from a bit of trash and dirt blown in by the wind, the reception went on as usual despite the earlier storm.

Peter speaks of another type of storm: persecution. And early believers were facing their share of it. They might have been surprised, but they shouldn’t have been. After all, Jesus had been persecuted and told them they would be as well.

When we remember the impact of sin on people and the world in general, we will no longer be surprised by the trials we face. People infected by sin will behave in harmful ways. Sinful natures are responsible for physical and verbal abuse, crimes of all sorts, divorce, financial mismanagement, and elder abuse. The list is endless. The infection of sin can also make nature misbehave. Tsunamis, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, etc.

But not all trials are caused by sin or sinful people. As long as they don’t violate God's nature, God, too, can send trials. The Bible is adorned with stories that show how he did just that. The difference is that God’s trials are beneficial. When we respond to them with a positive attitude and draw closer to him for wisdom and guidance, we grow spiritually, and our faith is enhanced. Remaining in a close relationship with Christ helps us survive and even thrive when the unexpected comes along.

Don’t let the unexpected blow you away. Remain grounded in Christ.

Father, when the trials of life come, may I find my anchor in you. 

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