Not Surprised
From this labyrinth that we call life / Everybody makes a wrong turn at least once or twice.
Isaiah 30:21
“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying,
‘This is the way; walk in it.’”
Life feels like a labyrinth sometimes. You move forward thinking you’re on the right track with a clear horizon, only to hit a wall that appears in the blink of an eye. You take a turn that looks promising, and it leads to dead ends. That’s the human story; we all have a chapter of wrong turns. Some we saw coming, others caught us by surprise.
That’s the scene in Isaiah. God’s people, Judah, were boxed in. Instead of trusting His direction, they tried to make their way through alliances, strategies, and shortcuts. All they did was end deeper in the maze.
BUT God didn’t abandon them to wander. He didn’t say, “Good luck finding your way out!” As some of us would be tempted to say, once our patience took a vacation. He gave them this promise:
“You’ll hear My voice behind you, saying, This is the way.”
That’s the same tone ringing in these lyrics:
”I’m calling you back / From this labyrinth that we call life / Everybody makes a wrong turn at least once or twice.”
It’s not a shaming voice. It’s not a voice saying, “Fix it and then we’ll talk.” Many times, that’s our voice or the voices of previous generations echoing. But God’s voice is the kind that meets you where you are in the maze, at the dead end, on the wrong turn, and says, “I still want you. Come back.”
Just last Monday, August 11th, 2025, I got let go from my job. The job is coming to an end, and I have already survived 4 waves of layoffs. Monday is not the norm for letting someone go, but there was my boss handing me the paper of termination of employment. But I was not surprised. The week before, God had already shown me in a dream what was going to happen. I saw a paper being handed to me and everything that played out.
That moment reminded me: if God knew about my layoff before it happened, then He’s not surprised by any of my ups and downs. Not the wall I’ve run into. Not the wrong turns I’ve made. Not the seasons where I’ve felt lost. If He already went ahead of me in this, then He’s already ahead of me in everything.
Takeaways
Wrong turns don’t disqualify you; they remind you how much you need direction.
God’s voice doesn’t just guide; it prepares you before you even get there.
He’s not surprised by your setbacks, so don’t waste time coming back.
Prayer
God, thank You that You’re never caught off guard by my story. You see the walls before I hit them, and You see the exits before I do. Thank You that even in the labirth, Your voice still finds me. Call me back, and help me trust the path You’re leading me on.
In Jesus’ name, Amén
