Unexpected Turns

by Bermie Dizon

Sometimes life takes unexpected turns. It is like when you’re playing a game and suddenly the rules change. It happens to all of us.

How many times have you heard yourself saying, “This is not what I expected!” “This is not the life I was hoping for.”

Well, you are not alone.

The Bible has tons of stories about people whose lives took a sudden twist because of what they believed God was telling them to do.

Imagine Noah building a giant boat, or Abraham moving to a completely strange new place, or Joseph going from being a free guy to a slave. And there are more, like Moses, David, Elijah, Esther, Mary, and the apostles.

You’re left thinking, “Wait, what’s happening here? This doesn’t make sense!” We reach a point where we must admit, “I can’t handle this on my own. It’s too much for me.”

A lot of times, I read stuff from the Bible that talks about promises God made.

But even though I know those promises, I still struggle.

Why? Because what I see with my own eyes doesn’t match up with what God promised.

Life throws situations at us that make us question everything. But you know what? The stories in the Bible give us a big clue—God knows how to handle it.

All those stories about people going through tough times in the Bible and the ones I’ve heard from church friends over the years shout one thing: God knows how to deal with our mess.

Even when everything seems impossible, Jesus said, “Hey, with people, it’s impossible. But with God, anything is possible.”

He knows how to make things happen when we’re clueless.

He knows how to do miracles, like turning a bad situation into something amazing.

He’s done it for lots of people in history, celebrity heroes and also regular folks like us in the Bible.

So, no matter how stuck or confused you feel, remember this: God knows how. He knows how to bring victory when you can’t see it, how to provide, comfort, restore, and bless.

Even when you can’t see a way out, God knows how to make one. That’s our God. He’s got your back.

BERMIE DIZON is a retired pastor of Grace Communication International at Glendora, California and a former writer for USA Tribune for 9 years.