I don’t understand…how can this be God’s plan for my life?
As I watched one of my favorite movies (Soul Surfer) for the umpteenth time last night…I had two lightbulb moments while viewing two scenes in particular. The first scene was when the shark bites off Bethaney’s arm and the other is when she goes to the youth leader and says to her that she was trying to gain new perspective on what happened to her but she doesn’t understand how this (referring to the loss of her arm) could be God’s plan for her life.
At some point and time in our lives, we can face devastating circumstances: loss of a relative/friend, financial, health issues, marital issues…something that we did not bargain for that throws our carefully, planned lives into a tizzy. One of the first questions we ask God is “Why me”? For some…they simply get mad at God and blame Him for not stopping the incident. It is perfectly understandable to get upset and even to get angry. We are human and sometimes things just don’t make sense. Here is where we need to gain perspective. We are born into a world of sin…therefore, where there is sin, there is death, pain, loss. sorrow and all the things that are meant to destroy us. This is where satan reigns…he comes to steal, kill and destroy. But, there is the Redeemer who brings life to all of those areas..(John 10:10 NIV) The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
As I was replaying the scene in my head…all I could think was, ‘God it is so remarkable that a shark as big as that should have swallowed Bethaney whole. Or, it should at least have taken a chunk out of her body that would kill her and not just a part of her arm. When you look at the scene and they show the surfboard…the shark’s bite goes all the way to the middle of the board where Bethaney was lying and yet, it only took a portion of her arm. Not even her whole arm! Immediately, the book of Job came back to me. In the book of Job, satan goes to God and accuses Him of protecting Job and then request to be able to attack Job three times. The interesting thing is God allows it. Not because He wants Job to be hurt, but to show satan that Job was sold out to God, which would put God’s Glory on display. Even though God allows satan to attack Job, He informs him that he could only do so much and no further. God lets him know that he cannot kill Job. Why, because God had a plan that would ultimately prosper Job in the end.
In the second scene, Bethaney goes to her youth leader and they are having a conversation about the loss of her arm and adjusting to a new life. Bethaney breaks down and says that she doesn’t understand why it happened and how it could be God’s plan for her life. Once again, I had a lightbulb moment…God’s plan for Bethaney wasn’t the shark attacking her and the loss of her limb…that was satan’s plan. God allowed him to get so far and no further. Bethaney’s plan for her life, was to be a pro-surfer. God’s plan was much larger, it was to advance the Kingdom of God in a powerful way-through a young girl who would rise above her circumstances because of her faith in God and to have a national stage to reach others and tell them of the goodness of God. Remember the Word says, (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV) For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
After going through an eye-opening experience, Bethaney gains a new perspective on life and what God has called her to do. With her renewed faith in God and help from family and friends, she begins to train again and reenters a surfing competition that she was going to participate in before the incident. At the end of the movie, Bethaney completes the surfing competition in grand style with an impressive wave that people with both arms could not handle. As she leaves the competition, she is confronted by a band of reporters that want pictures of her and are still asking if she could do it all over again, would she take back the day that the shark attacked her. They expect to hear that she would love to have a do over and have her arm back, but she surprises them all. She responds that she wouldn’t take back that day because if the shark attack had never happened, she wouldn’t have the opportunity of having a international audience, and to be able to embrace more people with one arm, than she ever could with two. Wow!! How is that for perspective?
You see, it is all in how we view things. Does God promise that life will be hunky dorey once you enter the Kingdom of God? No..He does say we will experience trials, and our faith will be tested. What He does promise is that He will be there with us as we endure. Going through any trial is never easy, but just remember to look for God in the midst of your trials. He is faithful and true. Don’t lose focus and allow anger, bitterness or sorrow to rob you of the joy that can only come from the Lord. It is not about the trial, it is about what we can learn in the process. It is about destiny, which is to advance the Kingdom of God by fulfilling your purpose on this earth that God has chosen specifically for you. Trials do two things, push us away from God, or draw us closer to Him. Which will you choose?
So, the next time you are faced with difficult circumstances, instead of complaining or blaming God…ask yourself, I wonder what God is working out in and for me? And choose to decide, that God has a much larger plan for your life than you could ever imagine.
