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Charlie Brown, Plot Twists, Worse-Case Scenarios… And Faith In A Recalculating God


Have you ever felt like you just missed it?

You had a big decision to make; a critical, life-changing, fork-in-the-road choice… and you just flat-out whiffed. (I’m talkin’, Charlie Brown, cartwheeling, air ball, rear-on-the-grass, whiffing?)

As someone whose backside is presently streaked green, I feel your pain.

Six months ago, my wife and I were wrestling with leaving a church that we loved, a community where we were loved, and work that mattered that we did really well. For some reason, despite all of those things, we still felt the sure, steady pull away to a new place, even with some huge red flags on our radar.

I can still remember saying to my wife during one of our many marathon conversations, (in that deliciously sarcastic tone that has, in recent years, become my second language), “Well, worst-case scenario: it all goes horribly wrong, and we wind-up in a new place, with none of our good friends around, and no job.”

(The truth is though, even in my most pessimistic nightmares, I didn’t really think it would ever come to that).

Fast forward 6 months: Welcome to Worst-Case Scenario.

We’re now in a town we would have never otherwise chosen to be, hundreds of miles from family and friends, and searching for a new ministry home.

Definitely not the plan.

I’d like to say that I’ve thrown in the towel now; that I’m tearing-up my faith card, taking my ball, and going home.

I might even really want to, but I can’t do that, because I’m a supposed man of God, (which is far different from being a man of a supposed God).

When I say that I believe in God, I’m saying that:
a) I believe that God exists.
b) I believe that my life somehow matters to God.
c) I believe that God will right my wrong turn, in ways that I can’t predict or comprehend right now.

Right now, with failure, regret, and fear all vying for center stage in my mind, I’m choosing not to give them the spotlight. That would be too cheap a path.

I may have seen my “worst-case scenario” play out in this one instance, and yet here I am; still loved well by lots of good people, still part of a family I have no right coming home to. I’m still inspired to create, and serve, and encourage. There’s still food, and music, and laughter, and love, and the ocean, and donuts, and a billion other reasons to believe and move.

Most people who have faith, (and I imagine quite a few people who don’t), would probably agree that it’s far easier to trust in God when your job’s secure, your health’s perfect, your back account’s full, and your plan is going according to plan.

The real challenge, is to trust in the character of God when the whole thing blows-up; when you’re laying face-up to the clouds, your rear end is sore, and it feels like everyone around you is laughing, thinking, “What a blockhead!”

Thankfully, the Bible overflows with blockheads.

I’m not sure how familiar you are with The Bible, but trust me, the thing is jam-packed with expectation-destroying plot twists. Its the story of a God who specializes in crafting stunning masterpieces out of abject failures; one who takes the worst of worst-case scenarios, and beautifully alters the planet with them.

No matter how wrong the turn, how spectacular the screw-up, how big “the miss” is, God always gets His people where He wants them, and where they need to be.

This isn’t the “everything will be great for believers” prosperity promise, that so many preachers peddle to the masses these days. It’s simply a character study in a Creator who is smarter and greater than the most wrong of wrong decisions of his creations.

When I’m driving using my GPS, and I inevitably take a wrong turn, I get the message that the system is “recalculating”; preparing to help me get back to where I need to be, from wherever it is that I am.

I realize that I’m temporarily off-course, but I’m about to get re-routed, so I wait expectantly.

That’s what this time is about for me right now, and what all disappointment, sadness, and failure can be about for people of faith; expectantly waiting on God to recalculate, and to set-up the Plot Twist.

If you happen to be in a bad spot right now, if you feel like you totally whiffed-on the ball, or if one day, you ever find yourself having taken a wrong turn and feeling completely, hopelessly lost; just wait… and have hope in the waiting.

This isn’t over.
You can still get there from here.
There is a road back.

Keep kicking, Charlie.

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