When You Don't Get What You Expected

Tired to the bone is how I feel after I have spent a week or more preaching in Africa.

Most times, the trip involves preaching more than once a day and there's nothing more I absolutely love. But it is also exhausting -- pouring out physically, spiritually and emotionally.

At the end of the trip I'm soooo ready for a little bit of R & R, and my friends, missionaries Bill and Barb Kuert, never fail to disappoint. We have the most amazing adventures! This last time was no exception and our son Jordan was there, which was extra special.

On our last morning there, we were out on safari a few hours before breakfast, which was scheduled to end at 9 AM.  Jordan, Barb and I had been up for several hours and riding around on the African plains, working up an appetite and pulled up in front of the lodge with about five minutes to spare before we could get in on breakfast.

Walking up to the restaurant, one of the staff members spotted us and said, "Mrs. Kuert, before you  eat breakfast there's something we'd like you all to see."

"Okaaaaaaaaaay," Barb reluctantly answered.

She realized we were five minutes away from missing breakfast and all of us were so hungry. We began to walk along a trail with the staff member and I found myself kind of irritated by it. 

This detour was not what we expected!

In low tones I whispered to Jordan, "Where in the world is she taking us along this trail? And why do we have to do it now, of all times?" He didn't seem phased by it.

We kept walking for a few minutes, and finally ended upon this scene...

Much to our shock, the hotel staff had created a special private breakfast just for the three of us! We would dine on a balcony overlooking the salt lick, where many animals would come to. What a breathtaking view! There were linens and china, and even champagne. Yes, we passed on it. The meal began with a buffet of fresh fruits and fresh squeezed juices and cereals. And our own private chef who cooked up individual orders of omelets, meats, potatoes and all the trimmings! We were absolutely astounded by this blessing. They attended to our every need throughout the meal, treating us as kings and queens.

To what did we owe this blessing? The favor of God, and the manager said that because Bill and Barb had given them so much business, they wanted to provide something special and chose that day to do it. How amazing!

The unexpected gave way to amazing exhilaration! What we thought may be the loss of our breakfast ended up being the provision of an extravagant blessing.

How often do we become irritated by the unexpected only to realize, God had something better for us?

I am starting to realize this principle more, every day in every way. A few months ago, a hotel contract fell through that my assistant Erika and I had been working on for months. I was really down about it for a few days and went to sleep and woke up repeating to myself, "I can't believe we lost the contract".  Nothing irritates me more than hard work down the drain. I couldn't imagine what good would come of the loss of that many months work. But then, when we least expected it, a much better offer came along -- so much better that we secured the next contract for two years! It was so more than anything we previously hoped or dreamed. It wouldn't have been possible had we been locked into the former contract.

I haven't always gotten what I expected -- and can now see how many times that has been an indescribable blessing. 

God has something better up His sleeve than I know about at the time. My place is to trust Him.

What are you angry about that didn't work out as you expected?

Is it possible that something better is around the corner?

Trust.