The Gift You Never Saw Coming

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” — Isaiah 43:18-19 ESV

When you have suffered trial after trial, it is hard to see when good things happen. Or perhaps you’ve prayed season after season for something, but God seems not to answer. You get discouraged when you think God doesn’t see you. You grow tired. Then you decide, “I’m going to do something, anything. I don’t care if it pleases God.” You want to escape the feeling of helplessness or stagnation.

This was me. I lived this cycle. Ask God. Get no answer. Make a bad decision. Suffer the consequences. Then a friend explained to me I should “Expect the unexpected.” She reminded me that, "God is bigger than your trials. He is bigger than your disappointment and your failures."

I'd found myself trapped in my hurt, pain, discouragement, depression, and disappointment. All I could see was an endless desert of disappointment. I felt as though God had forgotten me. However, God had a plan. Just a few days before my birthday, a package arrived containing a small commemorative book. It was unexpected and came without a note. I checked with my sister, who was the most likely sender. She strongly denied sending the gift. I reached out to a couple of friends, but neither responded right away. As I flipped through the book, I panicked. My mind created an entire story that I was being stalked. I considered shutting down my social media pages. Fear consumed my thoughts.

I tried to calm myself. After I video-called my sister, I asked her again, “Did you send the book?” She replied again, “No.” I shared my stalker theory with her. She smiled and chuckled. Giving nothing away, she tried to convince me that I did not have a stalker. By this point, I had convinced myself that I was being stalked.

 A dear friend wanted me to know how loved I was. She had reached out to my sister and explained that she wanted to create a book. My sister reached out to family members while another friend reached out to my friends on social media. Once I learned the truth, I was embarrassed and honored. I felt embarrassed because a simple act of love might have damaged my friendship. Many people loved me, so I felt honored.

This episode brought several insights to light: 1) Past experiences instilled fear that influenced my response to receiving an unexpected gift; 2) I expected others would treat me unkindly; and 3) I didn't foresee the benevolence of God.

I thought I had conquered fear years ago. I prayed for the Lord's help in releasing those experiences that had trapped me in fear. The next morning, Isaiah 43:2 appeared on my Bible app. This scripture reminded me that God will accompany me and provide a path through the wilderness. I affirmed, “I will not be overwhelmed by my previous encounters with fear.”

I continued to pray for restored confidence in others. My Bible app provided exactly what I needed. The story of Jabez (1 Chronicles 4:9-10), whose name signifies "pain" or "sorrow," appeared in my reading. It’s likely that his mother named him this because of her experiences during pregnancy and childbirth. However, Jabez not only requested a blessing but also asked for his territory to be enlarged. He sought more opportunities to serve and influence others. Jabez didn’t let his name, past, or previous experiences dictate his interactions with people. Mind blown! I had never noticed that before. 

God kept the scriptures coming. I listened to Matthew 8. The narrator read the story of the Roman centurion with a sick servant: “When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, ‘Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.’ And he said to him, ‘I will come and heal him.’ But the centurion replied, ‘Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed.  For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one ‘Go,’ and he goes . . .When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, ‘Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith‘” (Matthew 8:5-10, ESV). 

The thought that struck me was that the Roman centurion had no right to ask Jesus for a gift, nor to believe that Jesus would grant it. But I do. I’m a child of God. I can expect God’s goodness. According to Matthew 7:7, all I need to do is ask. Every day now, I ask God to allow me to expect His goodness in every situation.

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Prayer: Lord Jesus, when fear overwhelms me, remind me you are with me. When I believe others will be mean to me, give me the courage of Jabez. When I lose faith in Your goodness, infuse my heart with a supernatural faith like that of Jabez and the centurion. Amen.

Your Turn: Spend Time with God

Every unexpected gift tells a story—not only about the gift itself, but about our hearts.

Take time to journal your answers to the following:

• Tell the story of an unexpected gift you received.

• What was your first reaction?

• Did it reveal any hidden fears, painful memories, or unresolved emotions?

• How did those feelings affect your relationship with God or others?

• In what ways is God inviting you to release those hurts to Him today?

• What would healing look like for you?

  
  

Ask the Lord to replace fear with faith, pain with peace, and past wounds with the hope found in His unfailing love.