The continuation of surprises is not finished. More are coming. The surprises will be revealed within the leadership of the Church and with those who hold positions of leadership in our nation. The Lord will not continue to bless sinfulness or the unholy exercise of control over those whom the Lord has called us to serve, not to dominate.

Do not be surprised and tossed off balance by what happens when the surprises occur. We need to allow the surprises to humble our hearts and help us remain open to receiving any personal realignment with the Lord. These surprises have a hidden purpose. The Lord will use them to bring a deeper revelation of His glory when that possibility seems impossible in the turmoil that follows.

Paul had been writing to the Corinthians about the effect of a seared conscience that allowed people to make assumptions about their freedom in Christ.

“So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so you can endure it” (I Corinthians 10: 12-13).

No matter what our position of authority might be in the Church or within our culture, we are all vulnerable to the influence of sin, any sin. A life of faith will reveal a cautious faith expressed by humility and a knowledge of our vulnerability.

The coming surprises will challenge those who led from a place of pride and forgot to remember their vulnerability to sin. It will also surprise their followers. Because of a lack of spiritual sensitivity, those who fell under the influence of pride failed to escape its trap and were not able to endure its temptation. As Paul wrote, this trap is common to all humanity. No one is immune.

Don’t become so surprised when these events take place that you become emotionally paralyzed and lose your spiritual bearings. It is in these times of exposure that new leadership will emerge leading us with humility and an understanding of their vulnerability to the very things that brought down a previous generation of leadership.