During a retreat I attended many years ago, the speaker began one talk by saying, “Every day when you get up, you need to ask God this question: God, how are you going to surprise me today?”
That stuck with me and really made me think about how God operates in our lives. Predictable, I don’t think so. Surprising, always. Somehow God is always able to provide us with unexpected grace in our joys and in our struggles.
This is certainly the case in the Scriptures. God reveals Himself not through predictable paths, but in twists and turns; in burning bushes, in quiet caves, in prison cells, and on stormy seas.
Sometimes God’s surprises come in the form of miracles and joy. Other times, they appear in waiting and struggle, where His hand is hidden, until it isn’t.
In Genesis, Abraham and Sarah are long past the hope of children in their old age. Then the Lord visits Abraham under the guise of three visitors who declared next year they would visit again and Sarah would have a son. Sarah laughs, not from joy at first, but disbelief. Yet, God’s surprises her into joy. Nothing is impossible with God.
Later in Genesis, Joseph is sold by his brothers into slavery in Egypt. Everything seemed hopeless, but God was working in the shadows. And not only does Joseph eventually become the second most powerful man in Egypt, he will be the one to save his family from famine. Joseph later tells his brothers, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.”
A young, unknown woman is greeted by an angel: “You will conceive and bear a Son.” Her world is turned upside down, yet she says yes, and God surprises her with a mission that will change the course of human history.
The greatest surprise of all is when all seemed lost and the tomb was sealed. Jesus rose from the dead. Mary Magdalene went to mourn, but she encountered the Risen Christ and despair turned into uncontainable joy.
So how will God surprise you today? Will it be through a door you never expected to open? Will it be though a healing you never thought possible? Will it be by finding peace in the middle of pain? Will it be from a purpose born out of failure?
Some examples that have been shared with me or lived by me: If I hadn’t been fired or let go from my job, I never would have found the position or career I love now. Since my illness, I truly appreciate the blessings of my life, and I cherish every day and every person as the gift they are. The death of my friend was devastating, but through that loss, it allowed me to rekindle and discover relationships for which I am so grateful.
Like so many of the saints who have gone before us, we don’t always understand what God is doing, but God is always doing something. His surprises are rarely comfortable, but they are always good.
So whether you are in a season of celebration or a time of hardship, always ask the question: “God, how are you going to surprise me today?” And then: Wait. Watch. Listen. He will surprise you.
By Father Stanley Moczydlowski, pastor of St. Benedict, Mohnton.
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