“…we know God is working behind the scenes” (Job 34:20, MSG).

     Last spring, an Australian man and his dog were rescued after being stranded in the Pacific Ocean for two months. Timothy Shaddock and his dog, Bella, were sailing from Mexico to French Polynesia when their boat was damaged by a storm. Miraculously, Shaddock and Bella subsisted by eating fish and drinking rainwater.

     Shaddock claims that his survival was more than a matter of good luck. Shaddock and his faithful companion found themselves stranded in a warm, tropical climate that enjoys frequent rainfall and ideal fishing conditions. What’s more is that the marooned duo was discovered inadvertently by a helicopter that was accompanying a tuna trawler.

     In the classic film, Apollo 13, Tom Hanks, who played the role of Jim Lovell offered a critical observation. “You never know what events are going to transpire to get you home!” I am of the belief that nothing in this world happens by accident. As people of faith, we hold true to the words of Job that God is working behind the scenes.

      Like Timothy Shaddock and Bella, many things in life transpire to knock us off course. Yet we are never left to our own devices, nor are we left without a lesson to be learned. Financial problems can wake us up to the reality that money is not the most important thing in life. An extended illness can be the motivation we need to eat better and exercise more often. A divorce can open our eyes to the necessity of addressing our intrapersonal problems.

     The more I live the more strongly I believe that nothing transpires accidentally. God is busy bringing about good in the midst of tough circumstances. And if we are paying close attention to the lessons we are being taught, we can emerge the better off in the long run.

     Therefore, keep your eyes peeled to the waves of opportunities that surround you. The solutions to your struggles are closer than you think. The passage home could be only a few fathoms away.