Perspective: What if my life doesn’t go as planned?

Following Jesus changes the way we see our lives, especially when things don’t go as planned. Our hope is not in perfect circumstances, but in Jesus, who is with us and is ultimately making all things right.

REVIEW: Every Good gift comes from God.

READ: JAMES 1:17“Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father.”

DISCUSS: When you look at your life through the truth that every good gift comes from God, what are you most grateful for, and why do you think it can be easy to overlook those gifts?

REVIEW: Don’t allow what is Bad to blind you to what is Good.

READ: 1 THESSALONIANS 5:18“Be thankful in all circumstances. This is what God wants from you who belong to Christ Jesus.”

DISCUSS: When life feels disappointing or difficult, what tends to capture your attention the most, and how might choosing gratitude change the way you respond to the people around you?

REVIEW: God can produce Good from the Bad.

READ: ROMANS 8:28“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

DISCUSS: When you look back on a difficult season in your life, what good do you see God bringing from it, and how has that changed the way you trust Him when life doesn’t go as planned?

ASK

What circumstance in your life are you struggling to accept right now, and how might God be inviting you to see it through a different perspective?

PRAY

Jesus, thank You for every good gift You have given us, and help us see the good even when life is difficult. Give us faith to trust You when things don’t go as planned and allow You to use every season to make us more like You. Help us place our ultimate hope in You, knowing You are with us and will ultimately make all things right. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

INVITATION TO RESPOND

The invitation this week is to change the way you see your circumstances and place your hope in Jesus. Here are five ways you can respond this week:

• See Good: Look for one good thing God has given you. Take time to recognize it instead of overlooking it.
• Choose Gratitude: Thank God for what is good, even when life is difficult. Let gratitude shift your attention from what is wrong to what He is doing.
• Trust God: Bring one difficult circumstance to God. Tell Him what you cannot understand and choose to trust Him anyway.
• Allow Formation: Ask God what He may be forming in you through this season. Give Him permission to use the struggle to make you more like Jesus.
• Place Hope: Release your expectations of how things should turn out. Trust that Jesus is working even when you cannot see how.

Christian hope is not the belief that everything will work out the way I want. Christian hope is the confidence that ultimately everything will be made right by Jesus.