Tomorrow Start Today 365 Devotional Guidelines for Daily Living

April 24
Unwelcome Surprises


The sudden loss of a job, the death of a loved one, a storm that damages your town. How do you handle the unwelcome surprises of life??

Psychologists call in "coping". Some think of it as "rolling with the punches." Others say with resignation, "That's life!!" But when unexpected surprises come our way, we respond in one of two ways: We either fight and become bitter; or we reach out for the grace of God and become better through what we endure.

What is this commodity of the heart called "grace"? In simple terms, it is the help of God that enables us to cope with the pain and unwelcome surprises of life.

The apostle Paul faced many unwelcome surprises, things he didn't deserve and certainly didn't ask for. As strange as it may seem, he welcomed these trials and tribulations. Responding to persistent"thom in the flesh ," he says."Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you for my power is make perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why for Christ sake. I delight in weakness, in insults, in hardships, in persecotions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.(2 Corinthians 12:8-10)

God gives grace to help us cope with the surprises of life - those nasty turns we neither expect nor deserve. But though grace is always available, tapping into it or accepting it isn't always easy. Bittermess and anger bottle its flow. We need a certain measure of humility to say,"Lord, this surprise is more than I can handle. I need Your help!"

Poverty of spirit comes when we have depleted our resources, when our charm, our looks, money and connections are no longer enough to get us out of our join. That's when we know we need God.

"When I am weak," said Paul," then I am strong." When unwelcome surprises confront you, learn about grace, God's grace, and you will also find strength to cope. It's worth discovering.


RESOURCE READING: 2 Corinthians 12