Are You Ready For The Unexpected?

Originally posted 2015-11-12 22:11:03.

Hi!

How do you prepare for something that you are clueless about?  And why should you?  Preparation is closely related to anticipation.  And anticipating usually ties to something you are expecting.

Expectation begins because of  multiple reasons.  You may have prayed about something, and you are looking for your prayers to come to past.  Your application came through and you await the arrival of your product.  Or perhaps someone you haven’t seen in years contacts you and you’re sitting at the restaurant awaiting their arrival.   You have readied yourself for this meeting.  Perhaps a potential employer contacted you with an interview date.  The interview was successful, the employer offered you the job and advised that they will contact you about a follow-up meeting to discuss the particulars of the job.  You expect the call and prepare yourself.

Expectation links to surety.  That surety drives anticipation and prompts preparation.  But what about the unexpected?  Does anticipation tie to the unexpected?  That seems like such an oxymoron.  But is it?  Unexpected ties to suddenly.  What do you do when suddenly happens?

Unexpected?  What is it?  Could it be that the unexpected is inadvertently tied to something we have prayed about?  However, perhaps we have prayed amidst or we have simply waited so long until routine has set in and dominated our priorities?   …..Our days become so routine until we rarely think of anything unexpected occurring.  We usually go to bed at a certain time at night.  We set our cell phones for a certain wake up time each morning.  We generally drive the same routes to work, school, the cleaners, the grocery store and church.  For the most part, our lives are predictable and routine.  And routine doesn’t always leave room for the unexpected.  But routine doesn’t mean that we haven’t prayed to God for certain things.  It can sometimes mean that we are going on about our lives and have forgotten all about what we prayed about way back when.  But God will allow things to happen in our lives SUDDENLY to shake and break the routine, AND to tell us to get ready.

Are you ready for the unexpected?

Are you ready?  Life insurance, car insurance, health insurance, emergency funds, road service, storm kits and other things are in place in case of disasters.  When we put these safety measures in place, we are not looking for chaos, but we want to stay afloat in case something happens.  Likewise, there are some things that God may allow to happen suddenly in our lives that are not negative or chaotic at all.  So why shouldn’t we get ready?

Are you ready to accept the job offer from the new employer?  Small business owner, are you ready for the sizeable endowment that someone wants to give to your business?  Single ladies, are you ready for that God-fearing man to suddenly walk into your life; just when you were not even thinking about a man.  Single men, are you ready for that saved single lady that you happen to meet in the library, at the college campus, at the grocery story, at the mall; and she’s as interested in you as you are in her?  Man of God, are you ready for that new ministry opportunity that God has someone to call and offer to you?  Woman of God, are you ready to go before the masses and talk about the goodness of the Lord Jesus when you receive that phone call out of the blue?  Professor, are you ready for that college director to call and ask you to teach the upcoming semester that begins in a couple of months?  Are you ready for the unexpected?

That question has been in my spirit for the last couple of weeks.  I recently dreamed that I slipped in a building where there were familiar faces.  The persons that walked with me kept going and others walked pass me.  Yet none of them stopped to help me up.  All of a sudden, a person whom I least suspected stopped and came to help me up.  Though I needed the help, I was too concerned about my feet to receive the genuine help.  Now I’m not trying to get deep and go into dreams and their interpretations.  This is just to share what God told me.  ……When I woke up, I wondered why that particular person, of all people,  was in my dream helping me?  The Lord said, “Rochelle, prepare yourself for the unexpected.”

How do you get ready for the unexpected?

Now somebody might be saying, “Rochelle, what do you mean?  How do we get ready?  If God brings something to us, He will prepare us.”  And, to that note, “You’re absolutely correct,  Yes He will.”  Yet God wants us to get ready for the unexpected.  How?  By walking in obedience to what God tells us; by examining our selves; and by changing in whatever areas God tells us to change.  

If you’ve struggled with financial dilemma’s for some time; filing bankruptcy is not the key.  God wants you to learn to pay your bills, discipline yourself in your spending and count your income and your output.  If you haven’t learned how to handle your finances, filing bankruptcy is really a band-aid.  Business owners, do you have a business plan?  Are your personal finances on the upswing?  Independent single ladies, are you open to let a man be a man.  Have you dropped the baggage of the past and able to open the door of your heart?  Have you bought an outfit?  Single men, are you in the upswing in your manhood?  Are you improving your wardrobe?  Man of God, are you prayed up?  Do you study your Bible to live?  Have you gathered administrative acumen?  Dancer, are you practicing daily?   Writer, are you reading other writers work and writing yourself?   Woman of God have you started preparing?  Do you have a consistent prayer life?  Do you study and meditate on God’s Word?  Professor, have you started studying and preparing lessons?  Have you invested in learning how to prepare accurate lessons?  Have you looked into communication skills?  Anybody, everybody, have you heard God’s instructions on areas of your life that need enhancement; and are you working on it.

The unexpected is just that; unexpected.  We never know when SUDDENLY will come upon us.  Paul was on his way persecuting the saints and suddenly a light shined from Heaven.  Jesus spoke to him and changed his life forever. (cf. Acts 9:2-20).   If the unexpected can happen to someone who was not serving the Lord, and  God changes him and uses him mightily, certainly we, the saints of God can ready ourselves.  …While you are working on you and working on your ear to hear what God is saying to you, God is helping you to ready yourself for the unexpected.

Thanks for sharing with me in our Thursday thoughts.  If you have thoughts about today’s topic, I’d love to hear from you.  We’ll talk soon.

Blessings!

Rochelle