What Does the Bible Teach Us about Surprises and the Things God Has in Store?

What Does the Bible Teach Us about Surprises and the Things God Has in Store?

Birthday parties have long been a source of excitement and joy for those celebrating the beginning of their next year of life. Those parties are often just as much fun for the friends, family members, and co-workers who gather to be a part of the celebration—and the excitement only grows when surprises are involved. 

Sometimes, the party itself is a surprise, planned and executed by loved ones to honor someone when they are least expecting it. At other times, the big surprise comes in the form of an unexpected gift.

Surprises? No Thank You.

But some people don’t like the idea of surprise parties—or surprises of any kind, for that matter, and the reason is simple: the “unknowns” about a surprise can often create uneasiness or fear of what could happen because of the well-intentioned surprise. 

Will there be an element of embarrassment—however short-lived—in the surprise or its delivery? Will the surprise cast them into the public eye or a spotlight of some kind? And might they be so completely caught off-guard by the surprise that they don’t fully appreciate the effort behind it? 

“Surprise” gifts like a new pet or a more lavish gift that requires the recipient to take on the tasks of regular maintenance and upkeep or to incur additional, recurring expenses can be burdensome, especially for someone short on time or resources. 

God Is Full of (Wonderful) Surprises

But God’s gifts to His children are always good—even though they are undeserved and often come as a complete surprise. They are never burdensome. They are always life-giving and life-affirming, and they bring us into a deeper fellowship with Him. 

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells the crowd gathered there that if humans, who are imperfect, “know how to give good gifts to [their] children, how much more will [their] Father in Heaven give good gifts to those who seek Him!” 

And what exceedingly good gifts they are, too! The New Testament details many of these gifts, including eternal life in Jesus (Romans 6:23), the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38), an abundance of grace (Ephesians 2:8-9), peace regardless of our circumstances (John 14:27), wisdom (James 1:5), rest and renewal (Matthew 11:28-29), and the assurance of God’s constant presence (Hebrews 13:5)—just to name a few. 

But the Bible also teaches that many of God’s gifts are yet to come—and so awe-inspiring and amazing that our human minds are simply incapable of even imagining them.

Photo Credit: Unsplash / Brooke Cagle 

  • Woman reading book in window summer

    God’s Thoughts & Ways Are Not Like Ours

    In the Old Testament, the prophet Isaiah writes, “'For my thoughts are not your thoughts; neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.’” (Isaiah 55:8-9) 

    We can find comfort in this passage, knowing that God’s plans for us—which He promises are always for our good (Jeremiah 29:11)—may very well surprise us or confuse us, but there’s a reason: we may not always understand what He’s doing—whether we’re experiencing a season of harvest or a season of famine in life—but we can trust Him because He is greater than us, and so are His thoughts, His reasons, and His ways. 

    We can still have perfect peace in Him, as Jesus teaches us in Matthew 6:34 that we aren’t to worry about the future. 

    Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Imgorthand 

  • Woman spying out the window blinds

    Unexpected Surprises Are Still No Cause for Fear

    Our humanity all but demands that we attempt to have control over our lives so that we aren’t surprised by anything unexpected that threatens us. But our relationship with God through Jesus requires the surrender of our will and our need for control over to God. We are His creations, after all. 

    But that surrender often goes against our very nature. 

    As believers, we aren’t guaranteed a problem-free life on Earth. We aren’t promised smooth sailing, unobstructed paths, or an obstacle-free journey. Jesus was very clear about this when He assured us in John 16:33 that “in this world, [we] will have trouble.” But He didn’t stop there. He continued, telling us that regardless of our troubles, we can “take heart” because He has already “overcome the world.” 

    While we may encounter surprises and unexpected ordeals in life that threaten to overtake us at times, we know that God is still in control. And in the midst of adversity, He always surprises us with something amazingly wonderful: His ability to take any circumstance—whether negative or positive, expected or unexpected—and work them together for good in our lives (Romans 8:28). 

    Even when we face less-than-happy surprises in our walk with Christ, we still have the assurance that God is in control and at work in our lives—and the outcome will be a very positive one, indeed.

    Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/chameleonseye 

  • man outside nature eyes closed smiling happy content

    God’s Unexpected Blessings in Our Lives

    Just as we may face trials and difficulties in life—those very unpleasant surprises—we will also encounter God’s goodness as He brings unexpected blessings—some very exciting and pleasant surprises—in our lives as well. 

    In his letter to the church at Ephesus, the apostle Paul offers praise to God when he writes, “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever” (Ephesians 3:20-21), testifying to God’s ability to bless us in ways for which we could never ask—and in ways that we simply are incapable of imagining. 

    Those are surprises—and gifts—we don’t ever have to be concerned about receiving!

    Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Olezzo 

  • Women happy celebrating friends

    We Simply Cannot Fathom the Surprises God Has in Store for Us

    God often surprises us with blessings beyond what we could expect or imagine, reminding us that He is generous and works in ways that exceed even our highest hopes and expectations. 

    The prophet Isaiah writes, “Since ancient times, no one has heard; no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him” (Isaiah 64:4). In his first letter to the church at Corinth, the apostle Paul reiterates this wonderful truth when he writes, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). 

    In His Word, God has revealed many things to us—some about the past and some about the future. The entire book of Revelation is exactly that—the prophetic revelation received by John when he was on the island of Patmos.

    Photo Credit: ©Youngoldman 

  • Woman making plans in day planner

    We Haven’t Yet Been Told (and We Wouldn’t Understand, Anyway)

    In His Word, God has told us about some of the things to come, but we still do not know all that is to come. We have been told that Jesus returned to the Father following His resurrection so that He could “go and prepare a place” for us “so that where [He is], we may be also” one day. We have also been told that Jesus promised that He will one day return and take us to be with Him (John 14:3), receiving us unto Himself for all of eternity. 

    But we have not yet been told when Jesus will return, and according to the Scriptures, we won’t be told. In fact, Jesus’s return will be one of the biggest surprises of all time (if not the biggest)! 

    The Bible tells us that He will come when we are not expecting Him to come (Matthew 24:44). Yes, His return will be an unexpected, blessed, and exciting surprise when it happens—a wonderful, joyous surprise for those who know Him and love Him and have trusted Him as their Lord and Savior. 

    Because He is God—the Creator of the Universe, He can choose what He reveals and doesn’t reveal to His children, and even in that, He has reason and purpose—though we may not know or understand those reasons.

    Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/AndreyPopov 

  • No Human Being Has Ever Even Dreamed of the Surprises He Has for Us

    No Human Being Has Ever Even Dreamed of the Surprises He Has for Us

    Could it be that all He has prepared for us—those wonderful, joyous, life-giving surprises that will one day come to pass as we are reunited with Him—is simply so far beyond the comprehension of even the most astute and intelligent human beings, that even if He were to reveal it to us, it would make no sense because His ways and thoughts are so much higher than our own? 

    The Bible says this is so—that the things He has planned for us have never even entered into any human conscientiousness. 

    And unlike the contents of a wrapped birthday gift from a well-meaning friend or family member, we won’t be burdened, saddened, or shocked by the surprises God has in store for us. We are guaranteed this, as the Bible teaches us that God gives His children good gifts.

    Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Frank Mckenna 

  • silhouette of hopeful woman looking out bright window

    There’s No Reason to Fear

    Isn’t it a wonderful thing to know that we will never have to fear receiving any gift from God—and that even when we face the less-than-wonderful surprises that come during our journeys on Earth, we still will have no reason to fear because He has promised us His peace, His guidance, and His never-ending presence in our lives! 

    There is a lot of uncertainty in this world. And as time marches on, that uncertainty only seems to grow and expand. The Bible tells us that “for now, we see only a reflection, as in a mirror, but then, we will see face to face.” Paul goes on to explain that for now, we only know things in part, but one day, we will “know fully,” even as we are fully known by our Creator (1 Corinthians 13:12). 

    We don’t know what the future holds for us, our loved ones, our country, or our world. But we can take great comfort in remembering that we know the One who holds the future. There’s no surprise there: He is the One True God, and He will not fail us. 

    No matter the surprises—good or bad—that come our way, we can still stand on the incomparable, indescribable peace that comes from the Lord as we remember and take to heart the truths found in the old hymn, “I Know Who Holds Tomorrow,” written by lyricist Ira Stanphill, which reads, in part: 

    I don’t know about tomorrow; 
    I just live from day to day. 
    I don’t borrow from its sunshine 
    For its skies may turn to grey. 

    I don’t worry o’er the future, 
    For I know what Jesus said. 
    And today, I’ll walk beside Him, 
    For He knows what lies ahead. 

    Many things about tomorrow 
    I don’t seem to understand 
    But I know who holds tomorrow, 
    And I know who holds my hand. 

    Isn’t it a comfort to know that He is always with us—and that we never have to fear God’s plan for our lives? Surprise! He is in control, He’s on His throne, and His plans for us are good!

    Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Tara Moore 

    Becky Tyndall Burkett is from Texas and has been writing for more than 20 years. A wife and mom of four, she appreciates the incomparable worth of the family unit in everyday life, and she understands the invaluable role a relationship with Jesus plays in our daily walk.

    After losing her mother while she was in college, Becky struggled to make sense of God’s will, but over time, in His goodness, He gave her beauty for ashes and gladness for mourning (Isaiah 61:3), using it to grow her faith in the Lord and her heart for others experiencing the pain of loss.

    Becky is a professional creative writer and children’s author with years of experience in print journalism and online content writing. She has written several children’s books, including Coco Juego, Sandcastles for Sean: A Yellow Story, and You, Only You, among others. Becky is also the author of Farewell Performance, a beautiful tale of God’s will and His presence during our grief told in the story of a loving theater owner and a sparkling stage show that was gone too soon.

    She’s currently writing a memoir about her grandparents and their lives’ journeys, titled I’ll See You in the Morning.

    You can find her on her Facebook page, Lifted, on LinkedIn, and view her online portfolio at Authory.com.