KIM BARNES | CONTRIBUTOR

Have you ever felt like your life was heading in a clear direction, only to have things take a sharp turn? Maybe you felt called to a new job or ministry, only to have it fall apart. Perhaps you envisioned your empty nest years filled with one thing, but reality brought something entirely different.

A little over five years ago, my husband and I felt confident that God was calling us to a new place and ministry. It was a significant change, and there was trepidation as we embarked on this journey. However, the path seemed wide and clear, and we sensed God’s leading. So, we set off for my husband to pastor a church 800 miles away from Central Florida, where I had spent most of my life.

We embraced our new home and hoped that we’d spend the next couple of decades serving this church and community that we quickly grew to love.

That’s not what happened.

My husband lost his job after two years. It was a gut-punch, and we were devastated. A path that initially seemed so welcoming, one that we thought would lead to joy and life-giving ministry, became a road filled with grief, betrayal, and despair. Along the way, we saw God’s hand at work, nevertheless it was a season where we questioned God’s calling on our lives and felt uncertainty about the future. Life wasn’t turning out the way I thought it would.

The Bible is filled with stories where journeys lead to unexpected places.

Unexpected Journeys

God called Abraham and Sarah to journey from Haran to Canaan where God covenanted to make Abraham a great nation. The promised child, Isaac, was born in Canaan 25 years later. Along the way, Abraham and Sarah accumulated wealth and experienced great blessings. They also fled famine, faced marital discord, resolved familial conflict, and questioned God’s promises. It was not the journey Abraham and Sarah expected.

Joseph was loved by his father and God blessed him with dreams and visions. But because of his brothers’ jealousy, he was sold into slavery. Even as a slave, God blessed him, but he was falsely accused and imprisoned. Again, God rescued him and placed him in a position of influence. What his brothers intended for evil God intended for good. (Gen. 50:20), but it wasn’t the journey Joseph expected.

Moses, after growing up in Pharoah’s house, finally claimed his Hebrew roots and defended one of his kinsmen. Instead of being dubbed a hero, his life was threatened, and he fled to Midian for 40 years. Later, Moses famously led the Israelites out of Egypt, headed for Israel, and instead wandered in the desert for yet another 40 years. These were not the journeys Moses expected.

David, the anointed king, found himself fighting for his life against Saul and later fighting for his life against Absalom. While he reigned as the king of Israel for 40 years, it is Solomon, not David, who God called to build the temple. It was not the journey David expected.

When we get to the book of Acts, we read about Stephen who served as a deacon and cared for the church. He is described as a man “full of grace and power” and “was doing great wonders and signs among the people.” (Acts 6:8) Things took a turn when he was arrested. It was not the journey Stephen expected.

As Stephen stood accused, he recounted the stories of Abraham, Joseph, Moses, and David. He remembered that as sojourners on this earth, things don’t always go as expected, but God is faithful. Acts 7:55-56 tells us:

But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

Divinely, Stephen understood the ultimate destination at the end of our unexpected journeys.

Remembering God’s Faithfulness

It’s unlikely that anyone reading this faces hardship akin to false imprisonment or capital punishment, but Stephen’s example of remembering God’s faithfulness through the story of Scripture, helps us when life isn’t turning out the way we expected or hoped.

The unexpected journey that my husband and I embarked on five years ago led us back to Florida and caring for my mother who has Alzheimer’s. God is providing opportunities for both my husband and me to serve in the church. He has also provided us with the flexibility, time, and energy to care for my mom. We feel sure we’re in the right place. There is great blessing all around us. I’m grateful for the opportunity to care for my mom, but it’s not how I imagined my journey during the “empty nest” years.

Stephen’s example of recounting God’s faithfulness in the story of Scripture provides a framework for reflecting on His faithfulness in our personal stories. As I struggle with feeling discontent, discouraged, and unsettled with our current circumstances, God leads me back to my own story where I can trace his faithfulness. Along a journey marked with joy and grief, unexpected detours, and unimagined blessings, is Jesus. His handiwork is evident in his gracious provision and tender care.

Just as Stephen looked to the stories of Scripture to remind him of who God is and what he has done, we can do the same when we face uncertainty in our futures. When plans are interrupted, when hardship comes, and when we’re confronted with the reality of sin and death in a fallen world, we can look to the story of Scripture and the story of our life and see the goodness of God woven throughout.

Imagine Joseph’s despair after being abandoned by his brothers and sold into slavery. But God did the unimaginable and Joseph thrived in Potiphar’s house. What comfort he must he have felt as God rescued and prospered him. But it came crashing down again when he was harassed by Potiphar’s wife, falsely accused, and imprisoned. Even then, God is not finished. We read in Genesis 39:21:

But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

Not only is Joseph blessed while in prison, but God also demonstrated his faithfulness and his commitment to redemption as Joseph is ultimately reunited with his brothers and relationships are restored. Nothing is too difficult for our covenant-keeping God.

As I look back at my life and consider all that God has done in our winding, unexpected journey, my trust in God’s goodness is cultivated and I am filled with hope for a future that is secure. There may be roadblocks and potholes along the path, but God will keep his promises.

Are you facing an unexpected journey? Is your path filled with disappointing detours? Reflect on His faithfulness. What do you remember today, that points you to hope?

Photo by Jens Lelie on Unsplash