“This isn’t how my life was supposed to go.” Every person has had this thought once or twice in their life. We have a plan of how we think our life will look, but life can throw curveballs that change everything, like infidelity, divorce, job loss, health issues, or the death of a loved one. These circumstances leave us feeling like we’ve been punched in the stomach, wondering how we go on from here. How do you pick up the pieces of your life and survive when a plan or dream has died?
It’s a normal part of life to struggle with letting go of what was and to move forward to the unknown, which is why God is there to uplift and remind us that He’s with us through the uncertainty, pain, and struggle, and He will lead us through to the other side. Here are some ways that God can use times of unexpected changes in our lives for good.
Alignment or realignment.
Unexpected life changes typically cause you to rethink your life and priorities, which can help you decide to stop running your life on autopilot and start being intentional about your actions, life, and priorities. Things like health scares, marital issues, and struggles with your children all stop you in your tracks and cause you to re-evaluate what’s really important to you. A relationship with God, health, marriage, and family are the common to come to the front during these times. An unexpected change in your life can be a significant blessing and help you realign your priorities and life to what you genuinely value. Take some time to take stock of your life, evaluate what you’re currently doing, and surround yourself with what matches your God-given values, dreams, and convictions. If not, what a wonderful chance you have to change your life’s course.
Renewed surrender.
The only way to genuinely move past the heartbreak and disappointment of your broken plans and dreams is to surrender to Jesus fully. It’s usually easy to surrender your life to God when you first choose to follow Him, but further, in your journey with God, it can be easy to start to pick up your ideas and plans and forget the importance of surrendering to God’s plans for your life. It’s so tempting to hold on to something you value and treasure in your life when circumstances change, but sometimes, it’s only in the process of surrendering that circumstance or thing to God and accepting the resulting brokenness that you’ll find the blessing and sustenance you truly need.
Deeper dependence on God.
Unexpected events in our lives tend to help us remember that God is, or at least should be, the driving force in our lives. Far too often, we attempt to set goals for things we want to accomplish in our lives, but we end up stressing ourselves out and feeling like failures when we don’t accomplish those goals. In 1 Samuel 24, David, who was anointed as the future king of Israel, spent almost seven years wandering in the desert, hiding from King Saul, who wanted to kill him. During his time in the wilderness, he strengthened his relationship and dependence on God, which allowed him to become a successful king described as “a man after God’s own heart.”
Based on several psalms that David wrote this time, it seems like this time really helped strengthen his heart for God. God didn’t call you to sacrifice your peace to accomplish things and make things happen. Instead, He calls you to step into what He’s already doing in your life and to walk in what He’s already prepared for you.
A stronger trust in God.
When things hit our lives that feel like they came out of nowhere, it’s helpful to remind ourselves that God knew all the days we would live before we were born. As humans, all we know is finite time, or what has happened in the past and the present, but God sees time all together at once. As you pray about a specific situation you’re going through in your life and how God can use that for your good, God is reminding you that not only did He know this would be part of your story, but He planned your calling based on all the things He knew you would walk through in your life, this situation included. God saw all your tragedies, disappointments, detours, mistakes, and everything else before He created you, and in His all-knowing wisdom, He created a plan for your life that interlocks all of them and uses them to make your strong, help others, and mold you into who He called you to be.
Unexpected life changes are challenging because they are times of mystery and confusion to us, leaving us feeling like we’re walking in darkness. Thankfully, God always knows the way forward, even when we have no idea what that might be. Life changes can throw you off course, but God is always there to pick you up and help you keep walking on your path.
