When Life Gives the Unexpected

Usually when I make plans to be outside I will ask God for nice weather for that day.
More often than not, He answers those prayers the way I want Him to... But then there are the days when it's unexpectedly cold, or it rains, or it's cloudy all day. 

One of those days actually happened yesterday.

It was supposed to be in the 70's, partly cloudy, and no rain.

As it turned out, it was entirely cloudy, highs in the upper 50's and low 60's, and pop-up showers all throughout the day. 

At first I was very tempted to dwell in my disappointment and complain.

Admittedly, I did for a little bit. 

But then I felt reminded of all of the times God HAS answered my prayers and given me more beautiful days than I ever could've imagined.

Though I did keep asking Him to let the sun come out, my prayers shifted from a heart of contempt to a heart of gratitude. 
I asked for help to see this whole situation with a thankful heart, and as a result I ended up having a really great day even though it wasn't what I had planned. 

And you know something?
That's a lesson I need to remind myself of every day.

Sometimes, no matter how hard we pray, plan, or dream for something to happen, God wants to surprise us with something greater.
We may not always understand how it's greater on this side of Heaven, but we can have full confidence in the truth that God has promised to work all things together for the good of those who love Him. (Romans 8:28)

We're called to be thankful no matter what life throws our way.
That's hard to do when rain shows up on the day it was supposed to be sunny, but it's very important. 

When you find yourself facing a situation that you didn't plan for, I encourage you to take a moment to think about all of the times where God has blessed you before.

And you know what else?

At the end of that rainy day outside, the sun did pop out.
It was only for a few minutes, and right when I was getting ready to head home, but it was confirmation to me of something I've been feeling like I need to focus on for awhile now (and what I want to be the main take away of this post):

He is good, and His plans for you are good, no matter what your circumstances may convey. 

I pray that speaks to someone today.