So often in this journey of life, the unexpected comes.
Yesterday was one of those days.
After Bible study, I loaded up my 45-pound rucksack. Yes, I know that sounds a little crazy, but I’ve gotten used to carrying it, and it has been a wonderful way to build strength and endurance.
I started my walk from the Del Mar Surf Station down toward Dog Beach. What I didn’t realize was that the unusually high surf and tides along our coastline would make this walk a little different than I had anticipated.
I had decided to wear my tennis shoes rather than walk barefoot because I wanted the added stability, especially with 45 pounds on my back. And as it turned out, the sand was beautifully hard-packed. The tide had receded, the beach was wonderful, and everything was going just as I had hoped.
Until that one wave.
Without much warning, the water came rushing up the beach, and before I knew it, both shoes were completely soaked.
Not as I expected.
I could have turned around. I could have been frustrated. Instead, I slipped off my shoes and socks, placed them up on the seawall, and continued my walk barefoot.
And you know what? It was still a beautiful walk.
As I continued along the shoreline, I began thinking about how often the unexpected comes into our lives.
Sometimes it’s something as simple as a wave soaking our shoes. Other times it’s a diagnosis, a job change, a financial difficulty, a broken relationship, or a season of life that looks nothing like what we had imagined.
And unlike my wet shoes, some of those circumstances don’t dry out by the afternoon.
James writes:
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various temptations, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2–4
What an incredible perspective.
James isn’t suggesting that we should enjoy suffering or pretend that difficulties aren’t painful. Rather, he reminds us that God can accomplish something beautiful in us through the very circumstances we would never have chosen for ourselves.
I’ve often thought about how much of our lives we spend trying to arrange everything just right. We make plans, establish routines, anticipate outcomes, and do our best to avoid difficulties.
But Jesus never promised us a life without the unexpected.
“In the world you have trouble; but cheer up! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
And I love the words found in Proverbs:
“A man’s heart plans his course, but Yahweh directs his steps.” Proverbs 16:9
Just a couple of weeks ago, I experienced another unexpected season when I underwent surgery.
I’m doing well, recovering, and, as you can see, already back to some of my workouts. But recovery hasn’t been without its challenges. There have been difficult days, unexpected discomfort, and moments when I simply haven’t had the ability to concentrate or focus as I normally would.
Yet in the midst of it all, I’ve experienced such a beautiful peace and confidence in the Lord.
And something happened the morning of my surgery that I wanted to share.
As I was getting ready to change into my surgical gown, two wonderful nurses, Ruth and Teresa, were preparing me for the procedure. One of them commented on the shirt I was wearing, and as I sat back down and they began preparing my IV, I felt compelled to ask them a simple question.
“Would it be okay if I prayed with you?”
They graciously agreed.
And so, right there in that little preparation room, I had the privilege of praying for Ruth and Teresa.
When I finished, Ruth looked at me and said something I’ll never forget.
“No one has ever done that.”
It brought such a smile to my face.
She asked if I was nervous, and I shared that I really wasn’t. I had such a tremendous peace about everything.
A short time later, I was wheeled into the operating room. As I was being positioned on the table, surrounded by the anesthesiologist, Dr. Paul, and the nursing staff, I had one more question before they put me to sleep.
“Can I ask you all something? Do you feel important?”
They looked at me with somewhat puzzled expressions.
And I simply said, “Because there are so many people praying for you.”
And that was it.
Two simple moments that morning. Two opportunities I certainly hadn’t planned or anticipated.
I had gone into the hospital expecting to have surgery, not necessarily expecting to pray with nurses or remind a surgical team that they were being lifted up in prayer.
But isn’t that just like our Lord?
Even in the midst of our own difficulties, He can give us opportunities to love, encourage, and serve others.
As I think back over these past couple of weeks, there have certainly been days when recovery has been difficult. But there has also been so much time spent in prayer, in quiet fellowship with the Father, and in simply resting in His presence.
I’ve felt the prayers of so many wonderful people, and I’ve been incredibly grateful for the loving care and servant’s heart of my wife, Laurie, who has been absolutely amazing throughout this recovery.
Sometimes we are the ones serving. And sometimes we are the ones being served.
Both are beautiful reminders of God’s love.
The Apostle Paul writes about how God comforts us in our troubles so that we, in turn, can comfort others with the very comfort we have received from Him (2 Corinthians 1:3–4).
And perhaps that’s one of the most beautiful lessons I’ve been reminded of through all of this.
We don’t have to wait until our circumstances are perfect to be used by God.
We don’t have to wait until the difficulty has passed, the recovery is complete, or everything is going according to plan.
Even in the midst of the unexpected, we can pray for someone, encourage someone, love someone, and serve someone.
I love the words of David in Psalm 23:
“Yahweh is my shepherd: I shall lack nothing.” Psalm 23:1
And a few verses later:
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” Psalm 23:4
Notice that David doesn’t say the Shepherd will always lead us around the valley.
Sometimes He leads us through it.
And therein lies such a beautiful reminder.
I have found that the closer I walk with the Shepherd, the less likely I am to become undone when something unexpected comes my way.
Not because I’ve somehow mastered the difficulties of life, but because I’ve come to know and trust the One who walks with me.
Yesterday, my shoes got soaked.
They’ll dry.
My socks will dry.
And the walk that didn’t go exactly as I expected turned out to be a wonderful reminder of God’s faithfulness.
I don’t know what unexpected circumstance you may be facing today. Perhaps it’s something small and inconvenient. Or perhaps it’s something far more difficult, something that has brought tremendous uncertainty into your life.
But I do know this.
The Shepherd hasn’t moved.
He hasn’t lost sight of you.
And nothing that has come unexpectedly into your life has caught Him by surprise.
So my encouragement to you today is simply this: Stay close to the Shepherd.
Spend time in His Word. Enjoy fellowship with the Father. Ask others to pray with you, and look for opportunities to pray for and serve those around you, even when you’re walking through difficulties of your own.
Keep your palms open. Keep your heart tender. And trust that the One who directs your steps will faithfully walk with you through whatever comes.
Because sometimes the most beautiful lessons come on the days that turn out nothing like we expected.
And sometimes, all we need to do is take off our shoes and keep walking.