Many people think they have their future all figured out and are surprised when something unexpected turns up in their lives. Others seem to be prepared no matter what comes along. The reason for this is simply that we all react differently to change. One thing I do know for certain is that change will come…whether we like it or not.

In the movie Forest Gump, his mother (played by actress Sally Field) makes a profound statement: “Life is like a box of chocolate; you never know what you’re going to get.” This is so true as we live from day to day. We all want the good things, but it seems some bad always gets into the mix.

I remember when my brother and I were growing up how we would select chocolates from a box. We both preferred candy with nuts, so we would take a toothpick and gently insert it from the bottom. If it hit a nut, we would eat that piece. If; however, the toothpick went through the candy easily, we would put it back in the box, and figure our mother would never know what we had done (We found out years later that she knew what we were doing all the time).

That worked fine for chocolates, but we can not use a “toothpick” to preview what will happen in our future. What are some choices that people have made when they made a selection from the great box of chocolate called Life? Sometimes they got a piece that brought them great joy or satisfaction … other times it brought sorrow and regret.

We met a young couple several years ago when the husband was preaching for a small congregation in Georgia. They had moved there from Canada, and were loved by everyone they met. Well, they decided they would either begin their family or buy a house – since they figured they could not do both. Like all Christians should, they prayed together for the Lord to lead them in the right direction. In a few days they heard of a house for sale at a bargain price, so (figuring that was God’s way of telling them which road to take) they bought the property.

• First Chocolate Piece: The day they closed on the house, the wife found out she was pregnant. Since there was very little health insurance, they began calling doctors to find one they could afford. Sure enough they found one to see her for only $30. After the exam, the husband realized he had misunderstood, and the amount they owed was $130. When they got home the nurse called and told them the doctor only charged preachers whatever their insurance would pay. What a blessing.

• Second Chocolate Piece: As the pregnancy continued, an ultra-sound was ordered, and the result showed twins.

They laughingly told people later: “We “told” the Lord that we should buy a house or have a baby and we “thought” his answer was to buy a house…but His answer was ‘Both!’”

Here are just a few examples of unexpected “chocolate” that comes to people.

Bad Health

We all remember the actor Christopher Reeve who played the leading role in the Superman movies. He was a very healthy and athletic young man until he fell and damaged his spinal cord. In an instant his life changed forever, and he was destined to spend the rest of his time on earth as a paraplegic. Had he known what that dive would eventually cost him, do you think he would have taken the chance? I am reasonably sure he would not.

Great Physician

Act 28:27 – “For the heart of this people has become dull, and with their ears they scarcely hear, and they have closed their eyes; otherwise they might see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and return and I would heal them.”

Matthew 10:28-31 – “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.”

2 Corinthians 4:16-17 – “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,”

Financial Reverses

The many people who invested with Mr. Madoff were satisfied in their minds with the security of their financial futures, only to wake up one day and realize their life savings were gone. If they had known what kind of man they were putting their trust in, do you think they would have invested their money with him anyway?

How did those who lost their savings react? Just as everyone is different, they also reacted differently. Many felt they could not live without their riches, and either went into deep depression or took their own lives…reminiscent of the financial crisis in the 1930s. Others have taken it as a heavy blow, pulled themselves up, and are trying to find new paths for their futures.

As Christians, we are told not to put our trust in riches, or we are doomed to fail. Jesus taught this lesson in Luke 12:16-21 “And He told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man was very productive. And he began reasoning to himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?' Then he said, 'This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry."' But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?' So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

The wise man Solomon prayed, “Keep deception and lies far from me, Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion, That I not be full and deny You and say, "Who is the LORD?" Or that I not be in want and steal, And  profane the name of my God. (Prov. 30:8-9)

Near the end of his life David said, “I have been young and now I am old, Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread..” (Psalms 37:25)

Foreclosure on Homes

At this date (July 2009) foreclosures on homes are at an all-time high. People have put all of their savings into their dream home, only to default on their loan because the rising interest rate on home mortgages. I, personally, know several people who are in this predicament now. A lot of people agreed to mortgage payments that stretched their budget to the max, but now are not able to pay the inflated monthly amounts. Consequently, they find themselves having to live with relatives or find an inexpensive place to rent.

Jesus was Homeless The Savior of the world did not own property, and He made a statement to his disciples about the importance of having a house. “And Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” (Luke 9:58)

Christians need to remember that anything we have on this earth is temporary. What we all should be looking for is our home in heaven. Jesus said, “In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. (John 14:2)

Death

Eventually, death will visit every family, and each of us will have to swallow that piece of chocolate whether we like it or not. As the old spiritual song says, “You gotta walk that lonesome valley you gotta go there by yourself. Nobody here can go there with you; you gotta go there by yourself.”

Even if someone is terminally ill, we still do not know the exact time death will come. I read something recently that fits in here. “I have always known that at last I would take this road. But I did not know yesterday that it would be today.”

A current commercial for the Cancer Centers of America shows a doctor answering a patient about how long she had to live. He tells her that they did all kinds of tests, but not one test showed a date stamped on the bottom of her foot.

Tim McGraw recorded a song a while back that has some deep thoughts to ponder in its lyrics.

The reality is that we should live every day as if it is our last, then if death comes suddenly we will be ready to meet God. As Christians, we know the Lord went back to heaven to “prepare a place” for us (John 14:2) and that fact alone should remove all fear of death.

Examples from the Scriptures

Let’s look at some Bible characters and what kind of “chocolate” they selected, and see how they chose to react to the situation.  

Jacob

Jacob had to flee the home he loved because his brother was out to kill him. Eventually going to work for a man named Laban, he met and loved his youngest daughter Rachael almost at first sight. Striking a bargain with Laban, he agreed to work seven years in order to make Rachel his wife…only to be tricked into marrying her older sister (what a bitter piece of chocolate that must have been to swallow). After that incident, he worked another seven years for the woman he loved. (Genesis_29).  

Hannah

First piece of Chocolate was Expected:

Hannah prayed to God for a son and promised to give him into service at the temple if the Lord would grant her wish. “And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD.” 1 Samuel 2:21

• James 1:6 “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.”

• James 5:16 “The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”

The next few pieces of chocolate were a surprise

• 1 Samuel 2:21: “And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters.”

Job

Job was not expecting the chocolates he was given

• Lost his children

• Lost his servants

• Lost his livestock

How did he react to these terrible losses?

• Job 1:20-22 “Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped. He said, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.”Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.”

Esther:

Remember Esther? She thought she had it made. She was the queen of the great Persian King Xerxes, and living in the lap of luxury until . . .

• Haman became offended by her uncle Mordecai and connived a way to convince the king to sign a law allowing the Persian Army to annihilate the Jews.

• This was a bitter piece of chocolate if there ever was one. What was she to do?

• Her husband did not know she was a foreigner.

• If she approached him and told all (in an effort to save her people) she faced the very real possibility of execution.

Her uncle Mordecai sent her a message that aided her in making the correct decision. He said, “Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, "Do not imagine that you in the king's palace can escape any more than all the Jews. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:13-14)

We can apply Mordecai’s logic to our own lives. When we are tempted to complain about the bitter pieces of “chocolate” that come into our lives, let’s ask ourselves this question. “How do I know that God did not put me in this situation so I can make a difference?”

If we really believe that the Lord works in our lives would it change the way we view our circumstances? Romans 8:28 reads: “And we know that to them that love God (present tense) all things work (present tense) together for good…” It might be for our good … or it might be that we are instrumental for good working in someone else’s life.

©Jeanetta Watkins