We’ve probably all been here at some point: you plan something, practise for it, do everything you possibly can to prepare yourself for it. Contingency plans all lined up. And then along comes a problem you haven’t anticipated, that’s way out of your control, and all your prep comes to nothing. That’s what Ecclesiastes 9:11 is talking about: ‘The fastest runner does not always win the race, the strongest soldier does not always win the battle, the wisest does not always have food, the smartest does not always become wealthy, and the talented one does not always receive praise. Time and chance happen to everyone’ (NCV). Things can (and will) go wrong in unpredictable ways, and you won’t always understand why. So if you find yourself disappointed and confused by the way events have turned out, what can you do? Proverbs 3:5 reminds us to ‘trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding’ (NIV). You can be confident that God’s got everything under control. When things go wrong, you might not always know if it’s God trying to point you in another direction, or if the problem is outside of His purpose for you. But either way, He can turn a disappointment into something that works for His plan. Whatever happens, good or bad, whether you understand it or not, keep looking to God and trust that He’ll work everything out according to His purpose and timing. Because He will.
What Now?
Every time something goes wrong today, say ‘thank you’ to God. Because if He isn’t trying to get you to change direction, He’s already working on putting things right. Either way, thank Him.
