We’ve all had those days. We wake up feeling refreshed, ready to tackle our to-do list with optimism. The plan is set, the schedule is in place, and we head out the door expecting a productive day. But then—life happens. An unexpected phone call brings bad news. The car won’t start. Traffic is worse than usual. A last-minute responsibility derails all our carefully laid-out plans. By the end of the day, our list remains largely untouched, and frustration sets in.
Very rarely do my days go exactly the way I expect them to. Maybe you’ve felt that too. The question is, how do we respond when life doesn’t go the way we planned?
The crazy thing is, while these moments catch us off guard, they never surprise God. Psalm 139:16 reminds us, “All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.” That means God is not only aware of every detour, inconvenience, and challenge we face, but He has already gone before us in them. He knows what we need, and He is ready to help us through.
Instead of getting frustrated, anxious, or discouraged, what if we saw these moments as opportunities to turn to Jesus? What if instead of allowing the unexpected to ruin our day, we let it deepen our dependence on Him? Philippians 4:6-7 reminds us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Rather than grumbling and complaining when things don’t go as planned, we can choose to surrender our day to the Lord. He wants us to bring our frustrations, our delays, and our disappointments to Him. He is not bothered by them and He invites us to lean on Him. When we do, we find that He gives us the strength and patience we need to press on.
The truth is, these things we see as interruptions or inconveniences might be opportunities for growth, protection, or a deeper connection with God. Instead of allowing frustration to take over, we can choose to trust that God is at work, even in the unexpected.
So the next time our day takes an unforeseen turn, we need to take a deep breath and turn to Jesus. Give our unexpected moments to Him, and allow Him to work in ways we may not yet see. Because nothing is too big—or too small—for God.
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