I Wasn't Expecting This

We love the NFL for many reasons, but a few key ones are that anyone can win at any time, and games are often unpredictable.

On Sunday, we saw another slate of entertaining and tight games. If I'm honest, though, there were several outcomes I didn't see coming.

• I was not expecting to see the Cowboys and Packers end in a tie, and expected the Packers to dominate instead.

• I was not expecting the Saints to have a competitive game against the Bills.

• I was not expecting the Jaguars to go on the road and beat the 49ers.

• I was not expecting the Giants to beat the previously undefeated Chargers with a rookie QB, Jaxson Dart.

When considering the first four weeks of the season and recent outcomes, there are a few other surprises and things that are not going as planned.

• Who expected the Panthers to beat the Falcons 30-0 in Week 3, only to have the Falcons win 34-27 against the Commanders in Week 4, while the Panthers lost 13-42 to the Patriots? (I was expecting the Panthers to be a lot better this season!)

• Who was counting on the Baltimore Ravens to be 1-3, tied with the Cleveland Browns in the AFC North?

• Did anyone plan on the Seahawks, Colts, and Steelers starting 3-1 with Sam Darnold, Daniel Jones, and Aaron Rodgers as their QBs?

  
  

Of course, it's a pleasant surprise when your favorite team starts better than expected or pulls out wins you weren't counting on, but on the flipside, it's hard to experience the losses you weren't planning for or the slow starts you weren't expecting.

The reality is that football rarely goes exactly as we expect it to, resulting in us saying very often, "This is not what I was expecting" or "This is not what I thought would happen."

Just as those statements are common in sports, we also know that the same comments are common in life.

We love it when exciting and positive surprises happen to us that we weren't expecting, but we also know that challenges occur that we definitely did not expect.

• We are not expecting a bad health diagnosis.

  
  

• We are not expecting the phone call about an accident.

  
  

• We are not expecting a loved one's premature death.

  
  

• We are not expecting marriage to be this hard.

  
  

• We are not expecting our kids to be this difficult.

  
  

• We are not expecting to lose our jobs.

  
  

• We are not expecting certain relationships to fracture.

The list goes on and on, and we know how unpredictable life can be, with unexpected trials appearing and situations not going as planned. As much as we try to control life and count on things to happen a certain way, we are reminded over and over that's not how life goes.

As followers of Jesus, we can get through the unexpected difficulties of life because we trust in the One who isn't surprised. We trust in the One who is with us, empowering us, and is accomplishing His plans and purposes in us and through us.

We can be encouraged by the example of Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (NLT): "We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed."

When we declare, "This is not what I was expecting," we must turn to God, and what we can expect is for Him to give us strength as He reminds us of the truth and promises of His Word.

We can move past the shock and disappointment and remain confident and hopeful as we proclaim what's found in Psalm 73:23-26 (NLT): "Yet I still belong to You; You hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. Whom have I in heaven but You? I desire You more than anything on earth. My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; He is mine forever."

Paul continues in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, paraphrased in The Message, by saying, "So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace.

“These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever."

Today, let's remember that Jesus did the unexpected when He came to earth to die for us and rise again. Because of His grace and love and the salvation and eternal life we have in Him, we can get through whatever happens in this life that leaves us saying, "I wasn't expecting this."

We can also trust that God will surprise us with how He works out the most difficult situations for our good (Romans 8:28). With a different tone, we'll be saying, "I wasn't expecting this." To God be the glory!

I'm Bryce Johnson, and you can UNPACK that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I admit I love your blessings and wonderful surprises. However, I struggle when unexpected difficulties and challenges arise. Often, I expect things to go differently, and my plans don't align with yours. Please help me to trust You through the situations and seasons I'm not expecting, believing that You're still good and using it for good. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.