Expect the unexpected

This was taken, in part, from a devotional from Christine Caine. The last part really spoke to me this morning. I hope it speaks to you as well. 

… the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world (1 John 4:4).

Today’s devotional was taken from Chris’s newest book, Unexpected.

If we stop to think about it, every day is filled with the unexpected, with the unanticipated. We make our to-do lists. We set out thinking our day will go according to plan. But it doesn’t, because interruptions that we never saw coming invade our lives and usher in the unexpected.

But as surprising as the unexpected is, we need to remember that our unexpected is never unexpected to God.

We need to realize that He never expected us to live boring and predictable lives, even though we work hard to create regular routines. He’s called us to live lives full of joys and sorrows, battles and celebrations, successes and failures, ups and downs. And He wants us to learn how to live expecting to gain from the unexpected. Sometimes it is easier to give into fear about what changes we may be facing, or the struggles we find ourselves in. It’s a human response and reaction to fear the unknown. What helps me in those moments is that fear is not from God. It’s His perfect love that puts fear in its place. To live in fear is to live believing that God doesn’t actually have our best interest at heart. To believe that is to believe a lie. If we are honest (and I will be) I have moments that I give into fear as well. I have to remind myself that fear is a liar.