Life is full of surprises, isn’t it? One day, we are coasting along and the next, something gets turned upside down. They say the only thing you can count on is change, so why do the hiccups of our lives throw us for a loop?

As humans, we crave stability and security until things get too stable and too secure. Then we want a change! We stay in jobs because we are comfortable until one day we want to bolt for the door. This also happens with living spaces, our cars, or even our wardrobes. We love them until we don’t.

When I was in corporate America, I changed jobs fairly frequently. I either moved to a different position within the company or headed to someplace new. Most of the time, the move was motivated by boredom or the need for a bigger paycheck.

Some of these moves were profitable. Others were not. When you make a change, whether in a job or otherwise, it’s difficult to anticipate how you’ll respond to whatever new thing comes your way.

I suspect that the apostles’ lives were fairly predictable prior to meeting Jesus. Each was plodding along in their respective careers as fishermen, tax collectors, and the like. Then one day, boom!

Everything was turned upside down. My guess is they didn’t see it coming.

Oh, they likely knew about the Messiah coming “one day” if they attended synagogue and read Scripture. However, to have it happen in their lifetime? Not sure this was the expectation. Additionally, their expectation of the purpose of the coming Messiah was slightly skewed.

They and many others of that time wanted a Savior to save them from the Roman rule. They wanted a king to go to battle and establish peace on earth so their lives would be comfy cozy. However, that’s not why Jesus came. And it took them a hot minute to get a hold of that. Some never did…and walked away.

Jesus didn’t come to be King of the Roman Empire, but rather King of our hearts. He came to show us what having a personal relationship with God the Father looked like. He came to let everyone know that God was not far away, but could live inside of us (if we so choose).

If we study the life of Jesus, his actions and responses to the cray-crayness He faced, we see that He was never taken by surprise. He also was never stressed, never anxious, never in a hurry. I’m no Bible scholar, however I know that there’s not one Scripture that states that Jesus ran or He threw up His hands in exasperation, or any of the reactions us mere mortals have when faced with trials.

Why is that?

Well…simply because Jesus knew who He was, whose He was, and what His purpose was while He was here. He also stayed in lock-step with His Father, spending lots of time in prayer. He said multiple times throughout the Gospels that He came to do His Father’s will (John 6:38) and He only did what he heard or saw His Father do John 5:19).

Pretty simple, right?

When we study what Jesus did when He was mocked, betrayed, spat upon, lied about, His response is always spot on. He never had a regret over a harsh word or action. He walked in love and did what His Father told/taught Him to do.

We can have the same life! You see, our response to the ups and downs of life is our responsibility. We can choose to have a fit or take a pause. We can choose to stay silent or run our mouths. We can choose to walk in love or walk in bitterness and unforgiveness.

It’s our choice. Our response is our responsibility.

When we choose the path of love and do what Jesus would do, then we can have the life Jesus sacrificed for us to have.

So whatever comes your way today or this week, I encourage you to ask yourself these questions: “What would Jesus say? What would Jesus do?

You might not be able to control what’s coming, but you can control your response to it.

God wants a close and personal relationship with you! He longs to communicate to you just as He did with His Son. If you would like begin or deepen your relationship with our Father in Heaven, then I invite you to click here to watch or listen to the Elevate The Day Podcast, “God Wants To Fellowship Wit You.”