We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. - Proverbs 16:9
With our truck packed and camper in tow, my husband and I set out for our annual vacation adventure. Campsites were reserved, routes were mapped and itinerary in place for new explorations and sights to see. We rolled out of our driveway and headed west with high expectations and excitement for what lay ahead.
Little did we know that, due to extreme heat and drought, our western destination had become a wildfire tinderbox. High winds, dense smoke and road closures made much of our itinerary impossible. We soon realized that many of our plans would be forfeited. It would be a very different trip than expected.
Life offers no guarantees that plans will be fulfilled, expectations will be met, or even fairness will rule. At some point we all encounter situations that were not part of our plans—perhaps even the furthest thing from our hopes and dreams. The question then becomes what to do with our disappointment and how to move forward in our current circumstances.
Can we try to see our obstacles as opportunities? Can we trade life’s bummers for God’s blessings in disguise? God is always working for our good, even when our circumstances are not. He is always worthy of our trust and always sovereign, regardless of our conditions, and whether or not we understand the big picture.
Sometimes we have to swallow hard and readjust our perspective to handle life’s disappointments. As for our adventure this year, we made the most of our trip, despite our setbacks—it just took a bit more ice cream than usual.
CLOSING PRAYER
Father in heaven, help me to trust You through every disappointment I encounter—the big and the small. Give me faith to remember that life is happening for me rather than to me and the ability to see what is good around me at all times. In Jesus’ name, Amen.