2023-Photobombed

Upon doing some research, I discovered the term ‘photobombing’ emerged somewhere in the early 2000s. It gained some momentum a few years later. One source describes it as the act of deliberately inserting oneself into the background of a photograph without the knowledge of those being captured. It is meant to be humorous and harmless. We’ve seen these pictures circulating on social media. People seem to be enamored with the humor of it or the idea that it was unexpected- not sure which. The point is – this was not the game plan.

Have you had some of those moments in 2023? Times when you felt like your life was photobombed? Unexpected situations disrupted your well-planned life. Sometimes you had to laugh because if you didn’t you would just bawl like a baby. As you navigated some of those ‘unwelcomed visitors’, it seemed almost comedic at times. You wonder about the ‘why’, ‘how’, ‘when’ and ‘what’. At times the answers evaded you. These were the moments you had to go deep to find the strength needed to walk through these un-expectancies. The truth is the best of us gets ‘railroaded’ at some point or another in life. At least that’s how we see it. I often wonder how God sees it.

I read recently where someone commented: ‘If you want to make God laugh tell Him your plans for your life’. Don’t know how doctrinally sound that is, but I sure get what they are saying. We know little about tomorrow or how the tides may turn. Though we make the best plans, they often don’t go the way we intended. That’s life! As we mature, we learn to roll with the punches. Laugh a little and avoid taking life’s complications or ourselves too seriously. What looks like life’s interruptions at times are all part of God’s perfectly designed master plan. He knows exactly what He’s doing so we learn to trust.

As we stand on the cusp of 2024, take a minute to reflect on how you came through 2023. Those photobombed life moments may have challenged us somewhat, but what amazing lessons they offered. I think I came out on the other side stronger and wiser. How about you? I read somewhere that ‘some of the best stories in life begin with ..all of a sudden’. Some of the best missions and ventures never went as planned. Some of the best discoveries were made just by chance – or so we think. There is a master orchestrator who makes no mistake. Since He knows the end from the beginning, I’ll stick with Him on this ride into 2024. How about you?

“But He knows the way that I take [and He pays attention to it]. When He has tried me, I will come forth as [refined] gold [pure and luminous].

Job 23:10 [AMP]