Sometimes life hits you with a side-swipe you don't see coming. God usually counters with something equally as unexpected.
I had to leave a job recently, one I've done for 8 years since I came to South Africa. The business closed and I found myself out of work. My wife has not been well for some time, and this left us without any income.
Major side-swipe.
In the blink of an eye we went from where God was taking us to fighting massive health issues and having creditors from personal and business environments hammering on our door. The enemy hit us hard with a massive attack that we just didn't see coming, and were far from prepared for.
Massive swipe.
One of my favourite phrases in scripture is "But God".
In this case, I had my own "But God" experience.
After applying blindly to as many potential employers as I could I was getting nowhere. We were getting desperate and it felt like I was getting blocked at every turn. Then God came through - from a place I had never applied to, and might never have considered applying to. The owner of the local filling-station and store offered me a job as manager of the shop/station. More than that, he offered it on the understanding that if I got a better offer after I started he would only need 24 hours notice before I moved on! A serious "But God" experience.
There was a man once who went out to do what he fully believed was God's will. He travelled a lot, speaking to everyone who would listen and eventually arresting, judging and imprisoning people. But God knocked him off his donkey one day. Jesus himself spoke to him and overcame the side-swipe of the persecuting ways he'd had. God's swipe gave us nearly two-thirds of the New Testament.
Another man was excited by what God had shown him. He shared it with his family. His brothers threw him in a pit, sold him as a slave and told his father he was dead. His new owner promoted him, then the owner's wife falsely accused him of rape, he was thrown into prison and forgotten. But God had other plans. In 24 hours he went from imprisoned slave to second only to Pharoah in Egypt and saved the nation and surrounding nations from starvation.
David, Joseph, Abraham, Paul, Peter and the giants in the scripture all experienced "But God" experiences in their lives. Wesley, Luther, Wigglesworth, St Patrick, and so many other Godly men since scripture was closed also experienced these moments.
I don't know any God focussed people who can't look at their lives and see it littered with "But God" moments, big and small.
Look for them. God is just waiting to surprise His children at every opportunity.
