Surprising Victories

It is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Philippians 2: 13, NSRV



"In Jonah's escapist disobedience the sailors in the ship prayed to the Lord and entered into a life of faith (Jon. 1: 16). ... In Jonah's angry disobedience, the Ninevites were all saved (Jon. 3: 10).

God works his purposes through who we actually are, our rash disobedience and our heartless obedience, and generously uses our lives as he finds us to do his work.

He does it in such a way that it is almost impossible for us to take credit for any of it, but also in such a way that somewhere along the way we gasp in surprised pleasure at the victories he accomplishes."

Under the Unpredictable Plant


Surprising Victories, God's Message for Each Day by Eugene Peterson.