When things don’t go as planned

An airline pilot I know has held closely to a piece of advice one of his trainers imparted to him: Be steadfast in your plans but flexible enough to change when needed. He’s found this wisdom invaluable in both flying and life experiences, especially when things don’t work out as expected.

In small or large ways, we’ve likely all faced the disappointment of unmet expectations at some point – whether it’s finding that a favorite bakery doesn’t have our pastry of choice that day, or learning that a hoped-for opportunity hasn’t panned out.

Is there an alternative to accepting that angst and unhappiness are inevitable in daily life?

One of the things that can make these situations seem especially difficult is a feeling of injustice stemming from the notion that we are subject to random circumstances. Through my study and practice of Christian Science, I’ve come to appreciate the divine laws that govern all of God’s children, and those laws, which are constant and eternal, include and mandate justice. Referring to God, the book of Genesis in the Bible states, “The judge of all the earth has to act justly” (18:25, Good News Translation).

This omnipotent, omniscient God isn’t some being in the sky overseeing and controlling every detail of mortals’ experiences. Rather, God is an entirely spiritual and infinite presence, knowing and revealing only harmonious action. As God’s children, or spiritual reflection, we are all naturally included in that peaceful government – and Christ, God’s message of love for everyone, conveys this universally.

As we acknowledge this spiritual harmony as reality, we better discern the divine guidance that brings our lives more and more in line with this reality. We come to find that we can expect our circumstances to align with God’s harmony.

This approach is not a passive hoping that things will work out, but rather an active and assured trust based in the solid fact of God’s supremacy and goodness. As the biblical prophet Isaiah conveyed, God’s ways are higher than ours (see Isaiah 55:9). Steadfastness, clarity, and commitment to listening for and following divine guidance as best as we understand it are important. And as mentioned above, flexibility is also required, as sometimes we may find that we are unexpectedly led to change course.

There were many times when Mary Baker Eddy, who discovered Christian Science and founded The Christian Science Monitor, was inspired through prayer to change direction even after having been inspired to initially take a certain course of action. At one of these times, she wrote, “Thou knowest best what we need most, – hence my disappointed hope and grateful joy” (“The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany,” p. 229).

I can relate to the seemingly disparate combination of “disappointed hope and grateful joy” when I think about times when I have deeply struggled over being attached to a particular outcome that didn’t work out – and then ultimately have been in awe of watching things turn out better than anything I could have outlined. This result is natural when we place our trust in the Divine Being, who knows all and governs all harmoniously, perpetually carrying out the law of justice with compassion for all creation.

Trusting in this divine power to guide us, we can face disappointment with confidence that there is a good solution or outcome ahead, even if it is not evident in the moment. We can steadfastly trust in God’s goodness and remain willing to shift our thoughts or actions as directed by divine Love, the all-encompassing presence that imparts goodness beyond anything we could arrange – whether it relates to planes, plans, or even pastries.