The Unexpected… How to Respond When Plans are Derailed -

We’ve all been there – when our best-laid plans are completely derailed. And we’ve all wondered how to respond to the unexpected obstacles life throws us. Today’s episode provides a little laughter, a little advice, and a little hope…

Have you ever had a day that didn’t go according to your plan? That’s actually how I would describe MOST of mine. The feeling of seeing your best-laid plans go off track can be frustrating.

· In this episode, we’ll focus on the art of dealing with life’s derailments, and next week, we’ll tackle dealing with life’s delays.

Biblical Examples of Derailments

· Many people in Scripture experienced their share of plan derailments – Moses, Sarah, Joseph, Esther, and Mary faced unexpected challenges and changes.

God’s plans are never derailed (see Isaiah 55:10-11 and Romans 8:28)- this is more about when our own plans begin to unravel. Our limited understanding cannot grasp the reason for these derailments.

Ideas for Responding to the Unexpected…

· First of all, Lengthen your reaction time to assess the severity of the situation. Distinguish between big and little issues to respond appropriately.

· Another effective response is to lean into creativity to find solution-focused approaches to problems. Travis Kalanick, co-founder of Uber, once said, “Every problem has a solution. You just have to be creative enough to find it.” When I focus on what is going wrong, I get stuck. But I’m moving in a new direction when I try to think creatively.

· Next, laughter can be therapeutic; when able, let laughter be something you seek during the lesser dramas to better sustain you in the greater ones.

Finally, let God disciple you – there’s not always a specific spiritual lesson in every painful thing we experience, but God can certainly refine us in the midst of our derailed plans.

Life doesn’t always follow our plans, but we can adapt and find peace in trusting God’s plan. I hope you’ve found some encouragement in today’s episode, and if you have some great strategies in this area, leave them in the comments below!

Make sure you check out part 2 of this series in episode #15

as we discuss the frustrations of delays

and how to wait with hope.