--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nothing takes God by surprise. He knows…" description: "\"Nothing takes God by surprise. He knows the future and can therefore guide us through its trackless ways.\" — W. T. Purkiser" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d30/w-t-purkiser-64044_encouragement_nothing-takes-god-by-surprise-he-knows-t_2274532.jpg" --- # Nothing takes God by surprise. He knows the future and can… ![“Nothing takes God by surprise. He knows the future and can therefore guide us through its trackless ways.” quote by W. T. Purkiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d30/w-t-purkiser-64044_encouragement_nothing-takes-god-by-surprise-he-knows-t_2274532.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d30/w-t-purkiser-64044_encouragement_nothing-takes-god-by-surprise-he-knows-t_2274532.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d30/w-t-purkiser-64044_encouragement_nothing-takes-god-by-surprise-he-knows-t_2274532.jpg) > “Nothing takes God by surprise. He knows the future and can therefore guide us through its trackless ways.” [W. T. Purkiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-t-purkiser/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Divine omniscience means God anticipates all events and can guide humanity through uncertainty. **In simple terms:** God knows everything and can guide us. Key Takeaway Trust in divine guidance. Themes faith divine providence certainty spirituality trust Mood contemplative reassuring Type theological inspirational When to use this quote - counseling - spiritual direction - crisis management - ethical decision‑making Key Concepts theology predestination guidance hope Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance faith with personal agency? - What role does human effort play in divine plans? A Different Perspective Relying solely on divine guidance may reduce personal responsibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Encouragement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encouragement/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Surprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprise/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Nothing takes God by surprise, not even cancer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-corder/nothing-takes-god-by-surprise-not-even-cancer/) [Shirley Corder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-corder/) > [A Scout is never taken by surprise; he knows exactly what to do when anything unexpected happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-baden-powell/a-scout-is-never-taken-by-surprise-he-knows-exactly-what-to-do-when/) [Robert Baden-Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-baden-powell/) > [Evil did not catch God by surprise. He had a rescue plan, and He's still in the process of working out His plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-koukl/evil-did-not-catch-god-by-surprise-he-had-a-rescue-plan-and-he-s/) [Greg Koukl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-koukl/) > [the very minute we think we 'have' God, God will surprise us. As we search in fire and earthquakes, God will be in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-heyward/the-very-minute-we-think-we-have-god-god-will-surprise-us-as-we/) [Carter Heyward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-heyward/) > [“(About changing faith) At our best, Christians embrace it, leaving enough space within orthodoxy for God to surprise us every now and then.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/about-changing-faith-at-our-best-christians-embrace-it-leaving-enough/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [“The point is that we can never take God by surprise. We can never anticipate him. He always makes the first move. He is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/the-point-is-that-we-can-never-take-god-by-surprise-we-can-never/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [“God in his infinite wisdom Did not make me very wise- So when my actions are stupid They hardly take God by surprise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/god-in-his-infinite-wisdom-did-not-make-me-very-wise-so-when-my/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [“Mystics find themselves delighted in being surprised again and again by the many loving manifestations of God . . . "Surprise" is one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-j-rossetti/mystics-find-themselves-delighted-in-being-surprised-again-and-again/) Stephen J. Rossetti > [Repeatedly place your pet opinions and prejudices before God. He will surprise you by showing you that the best of them need refining and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brent/repeatedly-place-your-pet-opinions-and-prejudices-before-god-he-will/) [Charles Brent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brent/) > [No sin which we are capable of committing has ever taken God by surprise for He knew we were just like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-redpath/no-sin-which-we-are-capable-of-committing-has-ever-taken-god-by/) [Alan Redpath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-redpath/) > [“You’ve got to believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that you have what it takes. God created you to excel, and He’s given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/you-ve-got-to-believe-beyond-a-shadow-of-a-doubt-that-you-have-what/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [“To get light from an oil lamp, filling it first with oil is entirely reasonable. To get a car to provide you with transportation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-ian-thomas/to-get-light-from-an-oil-lamp-filling-it-first-with-oil-is-entirely/) [W. Ian Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-ian-thomas/) > [In other words, I'd say the whole story of Bob Dylan is one man's search for God. The turns and the steps he takes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-bone-burnett/in-other-words-i-d-say-the-whole-story-of-bob-dylan-is-one-man-s/) [T Bone Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-bone-burnett/) > [“Faith takes God out of the box; understanding tries to put Him back in! EL”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evinda-lepins/faith-takes-god-out-of-the-box-understanding-tries-to-put-him-back-in/) [Evinda Lepins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evinda-lepins/) > [“By saying 'God sees into the heart' it denies the deepest and the highest desires of life and takes God for the enemy of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/by-saying-god-sees-into-the-heart-it-denies-the-deepest-and-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) ## More by W. T. Purkiser > [Faith is not jumping to conclusions. It is concluding to jump.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-t-purkiser/faith-is-not-jumping-to-conclusions-it-is-concluding-to-jump/) [W. T. Purkiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-t-purkiser/) > [Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving," and the words of John…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-t-purkiser/not-what-we-say-about-our-blessings-but-how-we-use-them-is-the-true-2/) [W. T. Purkiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-t-purkiser/) > [God does not offer us a way out of the testings of life. He offers us a way through, and that makes all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-t-purkiser/god-does-not-offer-us-a-way-out-of-the-testings-of-life-he-offers-us/) [W. T. Purkiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-t-purkiser/) > [Faith is more than thinking something is true. Faith is thinking something is true to the extent that we act on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-t-purkiser/faith-is-more-than-thinking-something-is-true-faith-is-thinking/) [W. T. Purkiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-t-purkiser/) [Explore all 5 W. T. Purkiser quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-t-purkiser/) ## More Encouragement quotes > [Change your attitude and gain some altitude. Believe me, you'll love it up here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/change-your-attitude-and-gain-some-altitude-believe-me-you-ll-love-it/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“Today if anything is trying to hold you back, give no attention to it. Get your hopes up, get your faith up, look up,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/today-if-anything-is-trying-to-hold-you-back-give-no-attention-to-it/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [Great people are not people who have never fallen down. Greatness has to do with how you get back up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/great-people-are-not-people-who-have-never-fallen-down-greatness-has/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [If You want to be Awesome, You have to kick all the negative and boring people out of your life and arm yourself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajdeep-sarkar/if-you-want-to-be-awesome-you-have-to-kick-all-the-negative-and/) [Rajdeep Sarkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajdeep-sarkar/) > [It isn't bad judgment to make a man believe he is something. He is by nature inclined to it, and a little encouragement is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-langley-bosher/it-isn-t-bad-judgment-to-make-a-man-believe-he-is-something-he-is-by/) [Kate Langley Bosher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-langley-bosher/) > [God's plans are never beyond your reach, sometimes you just have to move closer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lee-riner/god-s-plans-are-never-beyond-your-reach-sometimes-you-just-have-to/) [Justin Lee Riner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lee-riner/) > [Instruction does much, but encouragement everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/instruction-does-much-but-encouragement-everything/) [Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“What would you think if I told you that, yes, your bad choices and decisions have had a part in your ending up under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-andrews/what-would-you-think-if-i-told-you-that-yes-your-bad-choices-and/) [Andy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-andrews/) > [“I have learned that positive encouragement and positive advice is limited to the believers not the masses”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-edgar-alamo/i-have-learned-that-positive-encouragement-and-positive-advice-is/) Herbert Edgar Alamo > [“Intercourse is one thing, Intimacy is everything. Be encouraged”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-e-wagner/intercourse-is-one-thing-intimacy-is-everything-be-encouraged/) [Kerry E. Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-e-wagner/) > [“Don’t be afraid of your struggles, they are making you dangerously strong and wise. They are preparing you for your superpowers. Let them happen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-lee/don-t-be-afraid-of-your-struggles-they-are-making-you-dangerously/) [Melody Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-lee/) > [I really want people to know that I've worked hard, very hard, to get to where I am today.. this didn't just happen overnight.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magic-johnson/i-really-want-people-to-know-that-i-ve-worked-hard-very-hard-to-get/) [Magic Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magic-johnson/) > [If people are kicking you in the behind, at least you're in front of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/if-people-are-kicking-you-in-the-behind-at-least-you-re-in-front-of/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [Our words are very powerful, always make sure that you use the right words, which encourages people instead of discouraging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/our-words-are-very-powerful-always-make-sure-that-you-use-the-right/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [When we start focusing on things we can do and don't think so much about the things we can't do, things really start to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/when-we-start-focusing-on-things-we-can-do-and-don-t-think-so-much/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) [Browse all 2,407 Encouragement quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encouragement/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Nothing takes God by surprise. 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