Success rarely happens without the occasional setback.
So what happens to our carefully scripted lives when things don’t go according to plan? Does that mean that we won’t ever find success? Or does it perhaps have another purpose?
Think about this for a moment. If life was a straight line that started when you’re born and ended when you die and there was no deviation from that straight line – What would life be like? Some might say it would be perfect or smooth. Others would say boring. You see life is never a straight line, no matter how much we’d like it to be.
There is nothing permanent, except change.
If we’re honest without ourselves the only thing we can be certain of is that there will always be change in some form. Instead of a straight line, there are curves and twists and circles, highs and lows, and even some backtracking. If you were to draw a line it most likely would look like a ball of string. The best part is that in the middle of the ball of string, where it seems the most chaotic, that’s where the most learning takes place. That’s where you experience life and grow.
If you have to accept that there is no smooth road to success, does that mean you cannot plan or dream of the life you wish to lead? Not at all! It simply means that you need to be ready for change. Even the best plans don’t go according to plan.
It doesn’t mean that you are defeated. It’s just a temporary setback. And these setback’s often force us to look at things from a different perspective. Sometimes being forced to open our minds reveals new opportunities or new routes to follow, that in the end, can turn out even better than our original plans.
There is a diagram that illustrates this really well:
Most of life’s best experiences happen outside of our comfort zone. Things we never dreamt of happening can sometimes turn out to be the best things to happen to us. In everything there is a purpose. Sometimes that purpose is simply to open our eyes to something bigger and better that God has planned for us.
“ ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways.’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of thorn bush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign which will not be destroyed.”
