Surprises

Generally, I would say that I'm a fan of surprises.

Usually, though, surprises are something cheerful, something light, perhaps, to make you smile or feel appreciated. Most come gift-wrapped, or require your eyes to be squeezed tight to increase suspense before your special occasion unveils.

But what about those surprises that are classified as spontaneously alarming? Or the surprises that come at an inopportune time? Or what about those that really make you think about what you stand for, or question a decision that you made at a previous occasion? What about the announcement that your pastor is leaving, an exciting job offer when you've already been placed in another, or news that your best friend is engaged? Still feel that same elation, that same anticipation for what's inside this kind of gift-wrapped package?

I wonder what we as a society - or as Christians, even - would be like if we took life's little surprises as challenges to grow - the ones that please us and the ones that don't. What if we took every surprise as a question of what God is going to teach us through that?

I think we'd be looking at an intenesly regenerated group of people...