When we’re growing up, we envision what life will be like. We secure a college degree, land a good paying job, marry our prince charming, have several, mostly perfect, kids, and live happily ever after. Then again we know that life doesn’t always go as expected.

In fact, it rarely does.

Along the pathway of life we encounter health issues, daunting circumstances, failed relationships, financial struggles, loss, and unplanned things. This is what we often call a “curve ball.”

Every baseball player needs to prepare himself for curve balls. We need to do the same in life. The ball can easily veer off the straight pathway it is traveling, so we need to be ready. There are three specific ways we can handle curve balls.

Duck! 

Give up!

Swing!

In my experience, swinging is the best solution. My friend, Melody Box, put an interesting spin on the curve ball Mary and Joseph were thrown. Here’s what she said…

I can only imagine the curve ball Mary and Joseph were thrown the night Jesus was born. I’m guessing Mary wasn’t in labor when Joseph knocked on the Inn keeper’s door. I think no one knew how urgent it was for Mary to have a room. I also imagine Joseph coming to Mary and trying to make it sound ok. “Mary, now they don’t have a room for us until tomorrow night, which will be perfect timing for the baby to be born! But for tonight, the Inn keeper said we could stay in his stable! That’s good, right? It’ll be fun! He has a few animals in there, and you love animals. Come on; let’s go make us a comfortable room in the stable!”

The second curve ball for Mary and Joseph came later in the evening when Mary went into labor! Now Joseph gets serious and becomes the best midwife ever. He puts more hay behind Mary’s back, spreads his cloak out under her legs, and distracts her between contractions by pretending that the animals are attending physicians or nurses. “Neigh, Nurse Horse, I’m not sure what dilation or effaced means, but it looks like it’s just about time!” “No, Dr. Cow, this would not be a good time to mooooove her closer to the manger.”

And then Jesus was born.

While giving birth in a stable was not in Mary and Joseph’s plan, it was God’s will all along.

Everything was set up at just the right time and in the way God designed it.

So, what curve balls have recently been thrown your way? Have you ever thought that this is God doing something much bigger than you imagined?  He doesn’t bring anything bad into our life (James 1:17), but He does allow it to happen for a reason. He has a plan!

Perhaps our first responses should be to look for God’s hand in it and then to ask Him what He may want to accomplish through it. I’m guessing that if we respond this way rather than complaining, worrying, or fretting about it, God will show up in amazing ways.

Some of the greatest baseball moments have come from batters not afraid to swing at curve balls. But in our case, we need to know how to handle them.

I say, GO WITH IT! And let God unleash His greater purposes and plans for your life.

Swing!

Let go of control and let God do what He chooses for your life.

Let Him do it in the way He chooses, too.

Curve balls will probably take us off guard. They usually do come unexpectedly. But it’s important we learn how to respond when they’re thrown at us. When we are not afraid to swing at them, then God is glorified and we are blessed.

And just imagine the awesome things God will do.

Love and blessings,

Upcoming Bible study – Begins January 2016

Joshua: Heaven’s Mighty Warrior