B.J. Knefley

 Life often throws us curveballs. Our good intentions can sometimes turn into big mistakes. Our plans go awry through no fault of our own, and we rarely see the trouble coming until it’s too late. Sometimes it feels like we find ourselves flat on our backs, looking up and wondering what’s going to happen next. We might even wonder what we did wrong to cause this new calamity, only to later realize that it is just life.

I’ve often said that life happens while we’re making other plans. Murphy’s law states that anything that can go wrong will go wrong, often at the worst possible moment. These events set us up for anxiety, second-guessing, and fear of what’s coming next. Yet, we get through these challenges and find ourselves on the other side, feeling like we can breathe again — at least until the next catastrophe hits out of nowhere.

Our view of life directly shapes how we respond or don’t respond to what happens around us. For instance, do life’s events happen to you or for you? Your response will greatly impact your next steps. If you are a person of faith, you’ll know that the scriptures say there is nothing new under the sun (Ecc 1:9). What happens to us is often the same as what has happened to others throughout history. We can also be confident that things tend to work out for the best for those who are committed to God and His plan (Romans 8:28-29). Even the Apostle James reminds us that these very events that trouble us are often the ones that help us grow and mature (James 1:2-4).

The writer of Ecclesiastes’ final words were, “That’s the whole story. Here now is my conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. 14God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad,” (Ecc 12:13-14). Sounds like good advice for how to live your life. Think about it.