My husband and I enjoyed a rare date night at the theater. Other than the hype over the movie’s reviews, we knew nothing more about the show. But as we drove home that evening, our heads were reeling over the unexpected twist in the plot. We decided the film’s hype was 100% legit and the surprise ending was unlike anything we imagined.

Turns out, that movie is so much like life, with its twists and turns. Non-responsive illnesses, stressful jobs, relationship heartbreaks, and grief from loss can leave us feeling defeated and discouraged. So in our search for solutions, we analyze, call family interventions, form problem-solving committees, and google the most reputable sites. But do we stop to consider God’s view of our situation? Does it dawn on us God might reveal a surprise ending?

Scripture records many journeys filled with discouraging detours. In an unexpected twist, Joseph was thrown into a pit. Ruth found herself a widowed immigrant. Esther became an orphan in bondage to a king. A big fish swallowed up Jonah. Lazarus awoke shrouded for death inside a tomb. And a young Paul (Saul) was blinded on the road to Damascus. By human terms, each spelled disaster.

But God’s higher-than-the-heavens vantage point is much more expansive. God’s focus was on the surprise ending. So, in a twist in the plot no one saw coming, Joseph’s pit placed him in the palace. The widow Ruth became part of the lineage of Christ. Esther’s bondage to the King saved her nation. Jonah’s fish led to Nineveh’s salvation. Lazarus’ resurrection glorified Jesus. And Paul’s blindness introduced him to the Savior. The endings to their stories were unlike anything they could have imagined.

Without a doubt, we too will experience twists and turns in the plots of our lives. But never lose hope, friend. Right before the credits roll, the ending to our story will be unlike anything we could have ever imagined!

Father God, help us trust You through all the twists and turns of our lives.

Blessings,

Rita Cochrane