Out of the blue

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.”

Matthew 24:42

Out of the blue is an old idiom meaning something has happened unexpectedly or suddenly. This may have originated from the fact lightning will sometimes come from a clear sky without warning.

All it takes is a phone call that can change everything. A routine test has revealed something out of the ordinary so more tests are required. The news sends our minds into the possible “what ifs”. This has happened to me before and after all was said and done everything turned out to be fine but nevertheless it’s very unsettling.

This is when our faith is tested but it’s the perfect opportunity for spiritual growth. During these unexpected trials in our lives, we are totally at the mercy of others and all we can do is wait and pray. Through the scriptures we can find encouragement and words from the Lord that will inspire us to grow in Him.

I just love it when I start looking for a specific bible verse for encouragement and I find one which seems to jump off the page. Psalm 112:7 is a beautiful reminder of yet another promise God gives us through His word, "He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord." Isn't that perfect? There's nothing to fear when we place our trust in the Lord.

Mama used to say, “There’s no need to borrow trouble”, in other words, why are you worrying about something that hasn’t even happened? We all have a tendency to do that but it serves no purpose. Fear of the unknown is real and scary but God can extinguish our imagination when it starts running away with us and making us anxious.

Proverbs 3:5 reminds us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;”. I’m thankful this recent test result was negative and I’m sure there'll be more down the road but I can always trust God to get me through them. We can face anything that comes out of the blue when we make a conscious decision to put our trust in the Lord.