Sometimes life sucks. We make plans. We tell others and ourselves that we will graduate college in four years. We plan to win our dream job or start a family. We plan to move out or move in. We bat a thousand in this ball game we call life, yet just when we think all is well, the pitcher throws a curve ball.

That curveball the pitcher cherishes in his back pocket until the right time can take many forms. We may not graduate from college. We may be fired from our jobs due to misunderstandings. We may not move out or in because of unforeseen expenses. Lastly, we may not even make it to work or school safely because of an unavoidable car accident that leaves many family members left scarred.

The point is more often than not life doesn’t throw the ball the way we plan it to. The worst part is that even though we think and believe we have control over it, we don’t. The ball is in the pitcher’s hands, not ours. Our one and only job as a batter is to hit the ball with everything we got and hopefully run all the way home.

Something happens in those few moments between the pitcher throwing the ball and us hitting the ball. We may become distracted by other players or watchers in the stands. We may become boggled with the expectations of our coach or our teammates, that when the ball comes, we miss. For whatever reason, there are times in our life that we miss the ball, or worse, the ball hits us. It could be something as serious as a death of a loved one or a small fender bender in a parking lot. However, we become so shocked, confused, or upset about the fact of missing the ball that we forget that we are still in the game, and with that confusion or emotional turmoil, we wind up for the next pitch and miss again.

Why is that? We make all these preparations, plans, and safety nets yet still get uprooted when a curve ball comes our way. Why? If we have God constantly by our side, why doesn’t He step in and help us swing? If God loves us so much, why does bad and sometimes terrible things happen to us?

While there isn’t an answer for why God lets horrible events come into play, there is always something we can learn from Him through the struggle. One of many lessons that God wants us to learn in these difficult times is taking comfort in Him. No matter how excruciating the circumstances are, God is our ultimate Comforter. When those we love fail to stand by our sides in these hardships, God is there standing firm. When we wish to be someone else or to end our lives, God is there embracing us and whispering that everything is going to be okay.

Yes, this ball game of life is fun, but it is also difficult. Sometimes we bat singles, doubles, or even home runs, but there will always come a time when we are about to strike out. It is in these precious moments we can either let our emotions get the better of us, or we can choose to listen to the guiding wisdom of our comforting Coach and take a swing. I don’t want to lose the game for my team or for my Coach. Therefore the next time I’m about to strike out, I choose to take a deep breath in the comfort of my Coach and take one more swing. What do you choose?