Redirection Story

As you probably already know, life is not always fair and things don’t always go the way we want them to. Many times we have a plan for how we want something to go but God has another plan. God’s plan probably looks a lot different than what you had in mind. For me personally, there have been plenty of times in my life that things have gone drastically different than I had previously planned. At the time I felt let down, upset, and frustrated that it didn’t go as planned but over time it became clear to me that God’s path for my life was much better.

For example, when I graduated college, the only thing that stood in my way of being able to get a job in my field of study was the certification exam. I knew this was going to be a very important exam for me so I took the three months after graduation to study and prepare for it. I did everything I could think of to prepare and when the day came I confidently walked into the exam knowing it was in God’s hands. I answered every question to the best of my ability and felt good about how I had done. The best thing about this exam was I would know right away if I had passed or not. I didn’t have to wait in anxiety for the results to be mailed to me months later. I was so excited when I finished the exam, I said a little prayer, gave it to God, and hit the submit button… and there it was as plain as day… my hopes crushed… failed… Although I had said I had given it to God just moments before I pulled it back out of His hands and began questioning everything. How was this possible? I did everything right, I answered everything to the best of my ability and it all seemed to go wrong. I had an overwhelming feeling of anger, sadness, frustration, and a cloud of negativity over my head that lasted for months. This wasn’t the plan! What was I supposed to do now that I couldn’t work in the field that I had got my degree in? My plan ended abruptly in a dead-end but it was only the beginning of God's better plan for my life.

I couldn’t see it at that time but failing that exam was one of the best things that ever happened to me. Looking back now it showed me that I don’t always know what is best for me and forced me to let go of my plan and to follow the path which God has designed for me. It is very hard to admit but because of our sinful nature, we rarely know what is best for our lives. As humans, we are programmed to want things to go the way we want them to go. We want to be in control of our lives. It is all a part of our sinful nature that started back in the garden. Adam and Eve could have lived happily ever after in a beautiful garden with everything that they ever needed but they wanted more, they wanted to be more like God. Then there was the time when Jonah ran away from God’s plan for his life and look where that led him… into the belly of a smelly fish for three days. It might have taken a smelly fish to redirect Jonah but after those few days, he was headed down the path that God had created for him.

Ask just about anyone, most of us have a story of when God redirected our path and put us back on His track for our lives. The question is not if God will redirect your life but when He will redirect your life, and when He does I want to give you a little encouragement. When you hit a speed bump in life it is very easy to get frustrated but try to look at it as an opportunity for God to take you down a better path. The path in which God has specifically designed for you. Here are a few steps to help you move forward with God’s plan for your life.

• Take a deep breath

• Humble yourself and accept that God’s plan is better

• Ask God to help you understand His plan for you

• Work just as hard towards your new plan as you did your old one

• Focus on the positive instead of the negative

Just remember it is better to be confused about God’s path than confident but heading in the wrong direction on your own path. God can use your darkest day the bring the brightest light into your future.