How to Live With Hope in the Midst of the Unexpected

One thing for sure is that life is unpredictable! Yet, in the middle of uncertainty, there are some absolute truths that we can hold tight to help us persevere with strength through the unthinkable.

Please welcome Donna Bucher as our guest today. She writes at Serenity In Suffering, where she shares peace and purpose in the storms of life. Donna’s post below will help bolster your faith, renew your hope, and remind you God is with us. 

How to Live With Hope in the Midst of the Unexpected

Written by Donna Bucher

Warm rays caressing my eyes, the sun greets me with the promise of a brilliant Saturday morning. Inviting me into my cozy armchair, I linger over my morning coffee. Closing my eyes, hugging my warm cup, He’s there.

How I covet my Saturday mornings with the Lover of my soul!

Weekdays allow us mere scraps of time. A 4:30 alarm signals the start of each day. A whispered good morning, a routine cup of coffee; I sink into my favorite chair, Bible upon my lap. I breathe in His presence, but we dare not linger, for the loud tick of the wall clock reminds us the day’s schedule ruthlessly beckons.

But Saturday gifts us with an unhurried rendezvous, where time has no dictate.

A smile touches my lips, as my hand caresses the pages of my open Bible, in anticipation. Suddenly, my phone lights up with my daughter’s name: a glance at the time confirms this is no casual chat.

Unexpected Change of Plans

Five minutes later than the last time I checked the digital display on my phone, I sigh. Tossing it on the bed, I finish dressing. A glance in the mirror reveals the stain on my worn pullover; fumbling in the drawer for a replacement, my daughter’s name finally lights up my phone again.

Stiff fingers clenching the steering wheel, I stare into the same sun which caressed the first moments of my day just thirty minutes ago. Not exactly what I expected for my day; my steamy sigh betrays thoughts the Lord already knows.

A quick conversation, instruction, and call to the pediatrician confirmed my little two-year old granddaughter, Grace, was in respiratory distress requiring immediate attention. Buffeted by questions and doubts, my swirling thoughts gave place to the practicalities of parking and navigating the hospital emergency room.

Though one of my weekday employment haunts, the hospital seemed eerily quiet. Why did everything seem so strange and out of place? Hurriedly entering the triage room, the “Designated Support Person” glared at me from my hospital bracelet.

Glancing at my daughter’s worried embrace of her little one, the past collided with the present.

Expecting the Unexpected

Creatures of habit, we pursue the predictable; schedule, plan, and generally keep things moving smoothly along. Acknowledging unexpected events may happen, we purchase insurance, save for a rainy day, or incorporate margin into otherwise busy schedules.

Yet, nothing sends me into a tailspin faster than an unexpected twist or turn in my day. Even more discouraging, a detour affecting my anticipated life’s journey; often ushers in paralyzing grief.

The Christian life unfolds in a series of unexpected events, from encountering Jesus at salvation to meeting him along life’s hard paths detouring me from my anticipated destination.

Despite the uncertainty of the road ahead or the shifting circumstances, one thing remains unchangeable: God is with me. And He is not only with me, He is for me.

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”  (Romans 8:31 ESV) In every unexpected circumstance, every hard place, each sorrow, and in the face of every fear; God is for me. The words wash over me as we move to the exam room.

The Unexpected in Sovereign Hands

Speaking louder than the small talk in between provider exams of a lethargic two-year old, the voice of silence held both questions of the present and memories of the past.

No strangers to the clinical environment of unknowns, both my youngest daughter and I processed inquiries, testing and the interminable waiting calmly. Though her journey down the unexpected road of chronic illness started at ten years of age, it would stretch over more than a decade of unknowns.

Struggling with an unexpected return from eight years on the mission field and the sudden departure of my eldest daughter, then eighteen years old, my rocky path took another turn. My youngest daughter became gravely ill.

Nightly 104-degree fevers, whole body rashes and pain ravaged her body, while numerous tests and specialists offered no answers. My mama’s heart searched for every way off what seemed only a path to pain. Yet God’s sovereign hand restrained us.

Unexpected events and detours along life’s journey appear as broken dreams, but in the hand of a sovereign God, they become pathways to wholeness.

When God Chooses the Unexpected for You

Nothing in life offers more certainty than the unexpected. Living any amount of time on this earth, you have encountered the unexpected. Over time you learn the art of taking the unexpected in stride.

But then, around the next turn, you find the road turned slippery, dark, and treacherous. No amount of planning or preparation could have avoided this path, and no amount of skill can change the course; for God chose to bring you this way.

Despite the initial dread of realizing your course changed, shifting your perspective from the uncertainty before you to the sovereign presence of God, unlocks hope, positioning you for receiving His grace as you move forward.

While often distressing and even painful, the unexpected offers the best opportunities for spiritual growth and deeper intimacy with Christ.

Lessons of Hope Spoken by the Unexpected

While few of us would admit the unexpected twists and turns along our life’s journeys are blessings in disguise in the first moments, none of us would fail in proclaiming the true treasure of the unexpected once God brings us through it.

Encountering the unexpected opens the eyes of your heart to hope-filled lessons only heard while leaning hard on God’s sovereign arm.

You are not alone. Though you may feel alone, God promises His presence with you always. “Fear not, for I am with you.” (Isaiah 41:10 ESV)

You are not in control. Nothing kills self-sufficiency better than the unexpected. “In all your ways acknowledge God, and He will direct your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes.” (Proverbs 3:6-7 ESV)

You don’t know your true need. God often does His greatest work in unexpected places. For he knows you more deeply than you know yourself. “Before a word is on my tongue, you, Lord, know it completely.” (Psalm 139:4)

Venturing into the unexpected taught me these lessons and many more. But the true treasure of my journeys into the unexpected came from intimate moments with my Savior.

Treasure in the Unexpected

God fueled my hope, as walking through many unexpected turns and painful paths in my story revealed new discoveries about myself.

Learning I can not only do hard things, but God designed me to do hard things through Him and for His glory, yielded resilience. 

Bravely accepting my weaknesses, limitations and failures allowed me to find forgiveness and healing.

Releasing control of outcomes freed me to grow personally and spiritually.

Realizing the twists and turns in my story indicated God’s sovereign hand at work for my good, helped me redefine my view of the unexpected.

Instead of fearfully running from God when confronted with the unexpected, I excitedly ran to Him. His patient hand of reassurance enabled me to trust him more fully even through disappointment.

God uses the unexpected as an instrument of infinite love, removing the harmful, repairing the broken and redeeming the lost opportunities for his glorious purposes.

Embracing Unexpected Hope

With each trip through an unexpected event, God’s faithfulness fortified my heart with hope for each new occurrence. Remembering His ways are sourced in perfect good, wrapped in wisdom and covered in love, drew me into His rest.

Glancing back at my grown daughter reassuring her little girl as the emergency room staff hooked her up to monitors, our eyes met, sharing the fellowship of souls familiar with the uncertain steps of a detoured path.

Because we knew no matter the outcome, embracing the unexpected meant leaning into the eternal embrace of a God who declares the beginning from the end. Who draws us into His presence, which is the adventure of a lifetime. For with God, every step into the unexpected provides deeper discoveries of His infinite goodness.

Donna is a women’s ministry leader, teacher, speaker, retired missionary, CASA volunteer, experienced counselor, and hospice and palliative care support personnel. Founder of Serenity in Suffering blog, where she shares articles, resources, and counseling designed to help you grow personally and find spiritual intimacy with Christ, ultimately finding purpose in the trials you face.

Donna’s writings have appeared on various online sites as well as digital and print magazines and devotional journals. 

How to Embrace the Unexpected and Persevere: Real Life Stories

Join us for a new series this summer, 2022—“How to Embrace the Unexpected and Persevere: Real Life Stories.” Each week you will hear from a guest writer who will share how her life took an unforeseen turn. You will discover how to persevere with hope, joy, and more. It will be a summer you won’t want to miss at Embracing the Unexpected | Maree Dee. Click here to sign up and never miss a post.