Have you ever gotten mad at God because He doesn’t work the way you expect Him to? I can’t tell you how often I shook my head in confusion at the circumstances of my life and thought, “Why would you let this happen, God?” or “Why wouldn’t you let it happen this way, God, if you are here with me?” But when I read the Bible, I see a pattern of how God works. It is very clearly laid out in His word. It’s just that we have never learned it and put on our false expectations on God and are disappointed when our false expectations are not met!

Just in the first chapter of the book of Mark, I noticed several unexpected things that Jesus did…

Unexpected #1 (Mark 1:12): Immediately after Jesus is affirmed by God the Father at the baptism, a great spiritual experience, He is led by the Spirit to be tempted in the wilderness! You’d expect that after a great affirmation of God the Father on His Son, His ministry will take off and He will have great success. But rather, He is led to a period of dryness and spiritual turmoil (wilderness!).

Lesson #1: After a great spiritual experience, expect a prolonged period of depression or trying circumstances!

Unexpected #2 (v. 16): Jesus calls nobodies to be His workers. Rather than calling the most qualified – the learned, gifted, high-born, and refined – He calls a handful of fishermen. This is exactly the opposite of what most business books will tell you to build a great company or even a great church!

Lesson #2: If you are a nobody or feel like one, good! God likes using people like you!

Unexpected #3 (v. 25): Jesus likes to work anonymously and keep things down-low. He tells the ones he healed not to tell anyone about it! Again, this is the opposite of what the world does! We tweet, advertise, FB message everyone to make sure everyone knows the good things we are doing. But Jesus wanted to keep things down-low.

Lesson #3: Do good things in secret and tell no one else about it. God knows it and will be pleased.

Unexpected #4 (v. 29): Jesus came to restore ALL things – the spiritual, the mental, and the physical – back to the God-intended original state. Jesus is not there just to make us feel better and give us comfort (mental) when we are down, but He is about much much more than that! His coming into the world inaugurated the coming kingdom that will eventually envelope all aspects of life. Your mind, body, and spirit will be restored, refreshed, and remade!

Go worship this Jesus and hear more about Him and find your joy in Him this Sunday at a church!

PH