My husband treasures the fond memories he has of reading books as a child which allowed him to choose his own adventure. Perhaps you have enjoyed the same types of books. With each decision, the reader’s experience diverges from other potential paths, culminating in completely different outcomes. The same is true when God transforms dark moments in unexpected ways. Through divine power and grace, the Lord cultivates blessings from difficult times. Since God possesses the ability to alter the trajectory of any circumstance, imagine the transformative power He can assert on a person’s entire life. Our Lord works in mysterious ways through the hands, feet, and voices of His beloved children. Look closely, and you, too, may experience times when unexpected events lead to beautiful blessings and beginnings for you!
An Example of God’s Transforming Power in Nature
Wildfires can result from natural occurrences. All it takes is for a lightning strike to connect with dry timber, and an entire forest becomes engulfed in flames. What results from this natural phenomenon? Families and animals abandoning their homes and fleeing for their lives. A true natural disaster, so where is the blessing or beginning?
Despite the destructive nature of wildfires, God uses the remnants and transforms them into beautiful blessings and beginnings. Wildfires help maintain a healthy ecosystem. In fact, some of God’s magnificent creation depends upon them for their survival.
Although countless environmental examples exist, here is just one. The endangered Karner blue butterfly caterpillar consumes the wild lupine plant. A forest floor overrun with decaying plants and animals smothers other plants, like the wild lupine plant, preventing them from flourishing. Without an ample food supply, the Karner blue butterfly caterpillar cannot undergo metamorphosis and emerge a beautiful butterfly (http://www.nationalgeographic.org/article/ecological-benefits-fire/). Essentially, God uses destructive wildfires to create a beautiful beginning for the Karner blue butterfly!
A Personal Example of An Unexpected Event Leading to a Beautiful Blessing and Beginning
After a two-year wait and never-ending paperwork, my husband and I flew to Mindanao, Philippines to bring home our second son. Unlike our first trip, Tom and I island-hopped from Manila (located on the island of Luzon) to Mindanao. Then, we traveled to the town of Talakag to meet our newest family member.
Arriving at the orphanage in Talakag, Tom and I met with the social worker (the same one who worked with our first child). During our initial meeting, we learned how the second adoption came to fruition. Unbeknownst to us, the Philippine government’s subsequent-adoption policy was never to place children from the same orphanage with the same parents. The policy’s purpose was to circumvent prospective parents from bribing an orphanage (where a connection already existed from a previous adoption) to get their case bumped up on the waiting list.
My children came from the same orphanage, Bethany Christian Home for Children, in Talakag (on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines). At this point, you might be wondering how this happened, considering the Philippine government’s adoption policy. Well, the explanation is nothing short of miraculous!
Tom and I learned a great deal from the boys’ social worker. Bethany Christian Home for Children staunchly believes all adoptive parents must visit the orphanage before bringing their children home. However, Tom and I refused the first time due to post-9/11 travel advisories for Americans on the island of Mindanao. Essentially, traveling to the orphanage months after the 9/11 terrorist attack meant putting not only Tom and I at risk but also our first child. At the time, a subgroup of Al-Qaeda resided on Mindanao, and the members were hunting and executing Americans.
Since Tom and I had never visited Bethany Christian Home for Children, the social worker prayed for discernment of whether to recommend us as parents for another one of their orphans. She told us God instructed her to fight the government’s protocol and present our case to the Intercountry Adoption Board. She strongly felt our first son needed a brother. Additionally, she wanted to ensure Tom and I visited Mindanao and experienced Bethany Christian Home for Children for ourselves.
After promising we would travel to the orphanage this time because the travel advisories had been lifted, the Intercountry Adoption Board agreed with the social worker’s arguments, and our second son was placed in our care for adoption. Ultimately, we became the first family in the history of Philippine adoptions to adopt two children consecutively from the same orphanage!
Wow! God is good! When I think back to this time in our lives, I am truly in awe at how God took a devastating, horrific event such as the 9/11 terrorist attacks, which killed so many innocent people, and turned the pain and heartbreak into a beautiful beginning. A little boy half a world away united with his forever family.
A Biblical Example of God Using an Unexpected Event
Accounts of miraculous moments flow through the pages of Scripture. In fact, the Old Testament describes a rather unexpected, miraculous event in the life of Joshua and the Israelites. The Word tells us Joshua and the Israelites became allies with the people of Gibeon (albeit due to deception on the part of the Gibeonites). When word spread about this alliance, others grew concerned for their own interests, particularly the five Amorite kings. Feeling their power was in jeopardy, the Amorite kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon banded together to attack the city of Gibeon.
Desperate for help, the people of Gibeon requested assistance from their allies. As a faithful servant of the Lord, Joshua prayed to God for help. The Lord responded to Joshua, “…Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you” (Joshua 10:8, NIV). How the Lord accomplished this feat is nothing short of miraculous.
After marching from their camp at Gilgal, Joshua and the Israelite army traveled to their allies at Gibeon. As the battle ensued, not only did God hurl giant hailstones on their enemies, but He commanded the sun and the moon! According to The Word, “…the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies…” (Joshua 10:13, NIV). Scripture tells us, “There has never been a day like it before or since…” (Joshua 10:14, NIV).
Think about this for a moment. Five armies fought against two. One might think the numbers were stacked against the Israelites and Gibeonites. However, God heard Joshua’s prayer and, through the unexpected stopping of the sun and moon, changed the trajectory of events from tragic to triumphant.
Closing Thoughts and a Call to Action
Throughout time God has transformed dark moments in unexpected ways. Possessing divine power to achieve the seemingly impossible, God can alter the outcome of any circumstance. Just imagine the transformative possibilities when He is invited into a person’s life. Our Lord works in mysterious ways through the hands, feet, and voices of His children, including you dear friend. Therefore, pay close attention to moments when unexpected events lead to beautiful blessings and beginnings for you! They are out there because “…all things are possible with God” (Mark 10:27, NIV)!
One Final Comment:
As someone who appreciates irony when it occurs, I want to share with you that our second son (whose adoption story I shared in this post) is actually named Joshua!
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Seek God Daily with Love and Dogged Persistence
Make God Your G.P.S. (Great Personal Savior) on Life’s Journey
“Spiritual” Gymnasts Soar by Taking Leaps of Faith and Following God