When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” Exodus 13:17

Few of us are very happy when our carefully laid plans start to go off script. We cringe at emails marked “URGENT” from bosses, banks, doctors, or family members. Why now, we wonder, when we had just caught our breath? We can learn about navigating the unexpected from the Israelites in the Bible who escaped from slavery in Egypt–only to be rerouted through the desert for 40 years!  (See the Bible book of Exodus)

Sometimes the unexpected is leading us on a path to something better. Typically, we hold on to our plans too tightly to imagine anything better. In the case of the Israelites, God used the trials of the desert to prepare His people to live in the fullness of His promises to them. He didn’t abandon them, but healed and equipped them, building a crucial foundation.

Other times, we find ourselves off course because we took our eyes off the map. It takes time and effort to recalibrate our priorities to be in alignment with God’s. When we wander from God’s trajectory for us, we’ll always find ourselves frustrated by dead ends.

Finally, an uncharted change in plans might inexplicably be out of our hands. We may never know the reason, but our role is to wait for the green light. Resist the urge to shake up your life in hopes of a new result if you’re really being asked to wait and trust. Every upset plan is an opportunity to grow in humility and faithfulness.

 

Resource reading: Proverbs 3:1-8