I Didn’t Expect That!

Have you ever heard someone say: “That is not what I expected”? Maybe you have used that expression yourself. Often, things happen that we do not expect, and sometimes we are faced with tasks that we never anticipated. If we look back in history or even in our own lives, this is obvious. We find countless examples of things that happen which are totally unexpected. It is not uncommon, especially for young people who have made a commitment to follow Christ, that life may suddenly take a turn and follow a course previously unanticipated.

There are examples in the Bible where this was the case. Consider the life of Joseph! He would never have expected to become ruler in the land of Egypt. Or Moses, when he fled for his life from Pharaoh, never would have expected to one day become the leader of the children of Israel. Ruth never expected the great reward she received for the faithfulness she exhibited to her mother-in-law. And David, the youngest of the boys in his family, who tended his father’s sheep, probably never dreamed of becoming the King of the land. When Peter was still a fisherman tending his nets, do you think he expected one day to leave them all behind to become a fisher of men?

Have you ever considered that Jesus may want to use you in a similar manner and that your life might follow a different course? Your career may be a good one, but it would be wrong to think that once you have decided on a career that this is the course you must continue to follow. There are people who are unwilling to consider whether the path they are on is the one the Lord wants for them. In that case, the eternal values that God has given them may start to decay.

It is good for us as Christians, especially young Christians, to expect God to be able to use us for His glory. God is no respecter of persons. He does not look at how much money or how much education we have. Rather, He looks at our heart. Often, those who are not highly esteemed in the eyes of the world are chosen so that He may confound those who think they are strong (see 1 Corinthians 1:28). It was not the leaders of the Jewish people who became the heralds of the gospel, but the despised fishermen of Galilee that God chose for the task. God looks into the depths of our hearts and gives grace to the humble.

How are you using the talents, aptitudes, and gifts that God has given you? Have you considered developing them so that they can be used to the glory of God? How sad and frightful it is when God calls us and we have neglected our talent! When all is desolate, it takes considerable effort, time, and resolve to restore what has been neglected. Let us ask God to give us the necessary insight to seriously consider the great worth of our talents so that we would better use them for the Lord.

It is not the education you have, the money you have, or the resources you have that make you useful in the kingdom of God. It is the Holy Spirit alone who is able to make you successful and useful in God’s service. Without Him, we are without the strength we need, without the Comforter, and without a leader. Only He can give you the power to overcome every challenge that comes your way as you labor in God’s kingdom. Therefore, whoever you are, do your part, be filled with the Holy Spirit, and be certain that the Lord Jesus wants to use you to be a blessing.

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