EquipHer Vol. 18: "Change of Plans!"Näide

Day 3: Embracing the Unexpected

Embracing the unexpected is perhaps one of the bravest steps we can take in our lives. Often, we carefully build our expectations, picturing the future as a smooth, obstacle-free path. Then, something suddenly changes and it feels as if our meticulously ordered world collapses in an instant. Yet, it's precisely in these seemingly chaotic and unpredictable moments that God powerfully reveals Himself. It is in these moments that He is calling us to put our faith into action- see beyond what meets the eye, and search for the hidden beauty in the circumstances that lie before us.

It’s during these moments of confusion that we can truly realize what seems "out of control” is in fact, in God's perfect control, just as it was with Joseph. Sold by his brothers into slavery and unjustly imprisoned in Egypt, Joseph experienced a series of painful and seemingly unjust events. However, these very setbacks were divine preparation for his eventual rise to leadership in Egypt, enabling him to save thousands of lives, including those of his own family (Genesis 50:20). Each unexpected event in our lives can become an open door to a higher, extraordinary, and unexpectedly wonderful plan.

Proverbs 19:21 encourages us: "Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails." Despite all the care and dedication we put into planning, there is one clear truth: God’s will is sovereign, perfect, and often surprisingly different from our initial expectations. It is an invitation to trust Him deeply, even when we cannot immediately see where He is leading us. Learning to embrace the unexpected doesn’t mean passively surrendering to circumstances; rather, it means actively welcoming the possibility that God is preparing something better for us—something we hadn’t anticipated but which He already knew.

How many times have you initially felt discouraged or frustrated by an unexpected event, only to discover later that it was exactly what you needed to grow or uncover new opportunities? How often have you realized that an alternative path turned out better than what you had meticulously planned?

Walking by faith means confidently embracing uncertainty, knowing that God never leaves us alone, and every apparent detour can become an extraordinary opportunity for personal, spiritual, and professional growth.

Practical Exercise: Reflect on a recent situation that you experienced as an unpleasant or complicated surprise. Write down what you learned from this experience, what new opportunities it offered you, and thank God for using that circumstance for your good.

Prayer: Lord, today I ask You to help me calmly embrace life's unexpected events, trusting that behind every unforeseen situation, You stand with Your loving and perfect plan. Give me spiritual eyes to see Your opportunities in the detours I encounter. Teach me to find joy and peace in the assurance that You direct my every step.