If we’re even a little self-aware, it doesn’t take long to recognize the areas in our lives where we’re prone to stumble. Maybe it’s the annoying coworker who pushes all your buttons. Or the neighbor who always seems to test your patience. Or, for many of us, young kids who bring both joy and frustration in equal measure.
We tend to know our triggers, those moments when practicing virtue feels like climbing a steep hill.
But here’s the thing I’ve realized: what makes these moments especially difficult, is when they’re unexpected.
You know how it goes. You’re having a perfectly ordinary day, feeling pretty good about yourself, and then—BOOM—a 5-year-old’s epic meltdown in the middle of Walmart. Where did that come from?
If someone had warned me, “Hey, next Wednesday your son is going to throw a massive fit in the produce aisle,” I’d probably have approached it with calm resolve. Maybe I’d even rehearse my response, ready to ace the parenting test.
But life doesn’t work like that. It’s the unexpected moments that test us.
Virtue isn’t just about rising to the occasion when we have time to prepare. It’s about being ready for the occasion—whenever and however it shows up.
And that’s the challenge, isn’t it? Preparing our hearts for the unexpected. Staying rooted in prayer, leaning on God’s grace, and cultivating the habits of patience, kindness, and humility so they’re second nature.
We may not always see the test coming, but if we stay spiritually ready, we’ll be able to meet it with grace—even in the produce aisle.