**When the Unexpected Happens

To Give You a Future and a Hope**

Jeremiah 29:11

“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.”

Life has a way of showing up without warning.

A phone call you didn’t expect.

A decision you didn’t see coming.

A moment that flips your entire world upside down.

Welcome to the journey called “When the Unexpected Happens.”

Let’s be honest — we are not the authors of our lives.

We are definitely not the finishers of our stories.

Jesus is.

It is in Him that we live, move, and have our being. But when unexpected moments crash into our plans, the first thing we feel is shock… then fear… and then the question:

“How do you prepare for something you never saw coming?”

The truth?

We can’t fully prepare for the unexpected.

But God can.

Nothing surprises Him.

Nothing catches Him off guard.

Nothing derails His purpose for our lives.

Some things that occur are completely outside of our control —

but they are never outside of His sovereignty.

He says, “I know the plans I have for you.”

Not you know.

Not they know.

He knows.

And when we walk in our own agendas, our own timing, our own assumptions of what God must be doing… we often walk right out of alignment with His will. So what does God do?

Sometimes—lovingly, firmly, purposefully—

He throws a wrench right into the middle of our plans.

Not to crush us.

Not to punish us.

Not to embarrass us.

But to realign us.

I am a living witness.

After three decades of believing I was walking in the perfect will of God, my entire life was interrupted — not by my own decision, but by the unhappiness of another. And when one life is shaken… everyone connected to that life feels the tremor.

Was I upset?

Absolutely.

Was I confused?

Without question.

But today?

I’m okay.

Because if it was truly God’s will,

He would have ensured it aligned.

He would have sustained it.

He would have prospered it.

He would have brought peace, not torment.

The Scripture says, “…plans to prosper you and not to harm you.”

That means even the unexpected — the painful, the inconvenient, the heartbreaking — sits inside a promise wrapped in purpose.

God knows… even when He doesn’t give us clues.

He allows interruptions to:

• teach us

• prepare us

• free us

• restore us

• protect us

• redirect us

• and sometimes… save us

The unexpected is not the end —

it is often the doorway to the future and the hope He promised.

When God says He has plans to give you hope and a future, He is not speaking casually. He is speaking covenant language. He is revealing His heart, His intention, and His guaranteed outcome for your life — even when the road between “here” and “there” looks nothing like what you expected.

Let’s break this down with power, depth, and clarity:

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1️⃣ God’s Plans Are Not Reactionary — They Are Eternal

God does not form a plan after your crisis.

He doesn’t scramble in heaven saying,

“Oh no, what do I do now?”

No — His plans for you were written long before you ever experienced pain, disappointment, betrayal, or loss.

Before the unexpected happened…

before the heartbreak happened…

before the transition happened…

God already had a plan.

Not a backup plan — the plan.

Your story is not in recovery mode.

Your life is not in repair mode.

You’re not “starting over.”

You are stepping into what God already prepared.

⸻

2️⃣ Hope Is Not a Feeling

Biblical hope isn’t wishful thinking.

It’s not “I hope things get better.”

It’s not emotional positivity.

Hope is confidence in who God is, not what you see.

Hope says:

“God is still writing.”

“God is still leading.”

“God is still faithful.”

“God is still good.”

Your hope isn’t in the plan —

your hope is in the One who made the plan.

⸻

3️⃣ A Future Means There Is More After This

When God says, “I will give you a future,” He is declaring:

• This is not the end.

• This moment will not define you.

• This chapter will not destroy you.

• This interruption will not cancel your destiny.

Your future is not tied to who left…

who failed you…

who betrayed you…

who abandoned their assignment in your life.

Your future is held by God — not people.

If someone walked away,

God already wrote your future without them.

Nothing lost with man is ever lost with God.

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4️⃣ God’s Plans Do Not Harm — They Heal, Advance, and Align

“Not to harm you” means:

• It may hurt,

• it may shock you,

• it may stretch you,

• it may break your routine,

but it will never break God’s promise.

God doesn’t harm His children.

He prunes, He teaches, He redirects —

but He does not harm.

His plans will always lead you:

• closer to Him,

• deeper in faith,

• stronger in character,

• clearer in purpose,

• and forward in destiny.

⸻

**5️⃣ Sometimes God Removes What We Called “Future”

…So He Can Give Us the Future He Planned**

This is where it gets real.

Sometimes what we thought was our future —

a relationship, a job, a plan, a dream —

was never God’s future for us.

So He removes it, not to punish, but to protect.

He interrupts us so He can realign us.

He breaks our plans to secure His purpose.

He allows the unexpected so He can bring us into the intended.

God’s future for you is not behind you —

it is in front of you.

⸻

6️⃣ Your Future Is Always Greater Than Your Past

Even when your past is long, heavy, and painful…

even when your past holds memories from decades…

even when your past feels “established”…

God says:

“Your future is greater.”

Not equal.

Not similar.

Not a replacement.

Greater.

Why?

Because God is not a God of leftovers.

He is a God of restoration.

He is a God of new beginnings.

He is a God of divine setups.

The unexpected didn’t destroy your future —

it delivered you to it.

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7️⃣ God’s Promise Is Not Just a Destination — It’s a Guarantee

When God says “I know the plans,”

He is not asking you to know them.

He is asking you to trust Him while He leads you.

You don’t need clarity — you need surrender.

You don’t need explanations — you need alignment.

You don’t need to understand everything — you need to trust His heart.

He promises:

✔ Hope

✔ A future

✔ Prosperity

✔ Protection

✔ Purpose

✔ Peace

And what God promises, He performs.

The unexpected may shake us, surprise us, or even break us for a moment — but it will never destroy the plans God has already established. What feels like interruption to us is often divine intervention. What feels like loss is often God’s redirection. What feels like the end is often the doorway to the future He promised.

Jeremiah 29:11 is not a bandage Scripture — it is a covenant declaration.

A promise etched in eternity.

A guarantee from the God who cannot lie.

“I know the plans I have for you…”

Even when you don’t.

Even when everything around you is shifting.

Even when someone else’s choices seem to alter your story.

Even when the unexpected shows up without mercy.

God’s plan has not changed — and neither has His intention toward you.

His plan is still to prosper you.

His plan is still to protect you.

His plan is still to restore you.

His plan is still to give you hope.

His plan is still to secure your future.

And the beautiful truth is this:

Sometimes the unexpected is the very thing God uses to escort you into the life He always intended.

Your story isn’t over.

Your purpose isn’t lost.

Your destiny isn’t delayed.

And your future is not in the hands of people —

it is held firmly in the hands of God.

So lift your head.

Breathe again.

Walk forward.

The unexpected didn’t break you —

it positioned you.

The same God who allowed the unexpected

is the same God who will carry you into the future

He prepared for you long before your pain ever arrived.

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✨ Closing Prayer

Father,

Thank You for being the God who sees beyond our fear, our shock, and our confusion when the unexpected crashes into our lives. Thank You for holding our future even when we feel shaken in the present. We bless You for being a God who is never surprised, never unprepared, and never uncertain.

Lord, align our hearts with Your will.

Silence the voices of doubt and fear.

Help us release every plan that was built on our own understanding — and take hold of the future You have already written for us.

Where there has been pain, bring healing.

Where there has been confusion, bring clarity.

Where there has been loss, bring restoration.

Where there has been disappointment, bring divine appointment.

Father, teach us to trust Your timing, Your wisdom, and Your sovereignty. Strengthen us to walk forward with hope, knowing that Your plans for us are good, perfect, and full of promise. Remind us daily that nothing can cancel, hinder, or block the future You have ordained.

We surrender every unexpected moment into Your hands and declare:

Your will, Your plan, Your timing, Your glory.

Thank You for the hope You give.

Thank You for the future You hold.

Thank You for the purpose You preserve.

In the strong and matchless name of Jesus Christ,

Amen.

✨ Author Bio — Lauretta Scott |

iPublishub-Books

Lauretta Scott is the heart and pen behind iPublishub-Books — a faith-inspired writing ministry dedicated to building hope, healing, and spiritual strength through powerful storytelling and biblical truth.

A devoted believer, creative storyteller, and passionate encourager, Lauretta writes from real-life experiences, deep faith, and a desire to see others restored by the love of God. Her books and blogs blend authenticity, Scripture, and inspiration, giving readers a safe place to grow, heal, reflect, and encounter God in a personal way.

With a gift for transforming pain into purpose and unexpected moments into spiritual wisdom, Lauretta leads readers on a journey toward wholeness — one story, one devotional, one revelation at a time.

Through iPublishub-Books, she continues to inspire hearts, uplift spirits, and remind the world that God’s plan is still good, His love is still faithful, and every believer has a future filled with hope.