Life has a way of surprising us. Sometimes with laughter, sometimes with tears, and sometimes with both at the very same time. Have you ever had one of those days where everything seems to go wrong, and you think to yourself, “Well, surely it can’t get worse than this?” That was me on moving day.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
— Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)
Boxes, Chaos, and a Whole Lot of Sweat
We’d been planning this move for weeks. Carefully labeling boxes. Wrapping fragile dishes and coordinating helpers. You know… the works.
Carmen had already left for her mission trip to Nicaragua. My day started full of hope and excitement about moving to Florida. A fresh start. A new chapter. My boys were helping me finish packing.
But as the hours passed, exhaustion began to set in. Patience grew short, muscles ached, and somehow the pile of things left to move only seemed to grow instead of shrink.
I remember thinking, “If we can just get through today, life will settle down.”
Oh, how wrong I was.
“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”
— Proverbs 16:3 (NIV)
The Tipping Point
Somewhere between the third trip hauling furniture and the endless back-and-forth with the moving truck, disaster struck – literally.
Our U-Haul was damaged.
Not just a little scratch here or there… it was wrecked – see the picture above.
There we were, standing in shock, staring at what could only be described as a real-life scene from a movie.
It was chaos. The kind that makes you laugh later, much later, but in the moment, all you can do is pray and keep moving.
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”
— Psalm 46:1 (NIV)
Just a Warm-Up
Looking back, I thought the wildest part of this story was surviving moving day with a U-Haul fresh from a demolition derby and an SUV with its tire ripped off in front of my house.
Turns out, that was just a warm-up. Because what God had planned next would make even that look easy.
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.”
— Ephesians 3:20 (NIV)
Reflection
Sometimes life’s chaos is just preparation for something bigger.
We think the struggle we’re in right now is the thing, when really, it’s just a warm-up for what’s ahead.
I wonder how many times God has smiled at my stress, knowing that what felt impossible to me was only a small step in His bigger plan.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
— Romans 8:28 (NIV)
Challenge of the Week
Have you ever been through a season where you thought, “This has to be the hardest part,” only to find out it wasn’t? The challenge is not to dwell on the past, causing you to be stuck. But to focus on the present – who God is, and what He has in store for you. Living in the present is what propels you into the future! So be it.
I’d love to hear about your season that felt hard at the time in the comments below.
Your story might encourage someone right in the middle of their own “moving day” moment.
“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV)
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