The World Series got off to an exciting start last night – especially if you’re a fan of scoring. Game 1 was filled with home runs, singles, doubles, and stolen bases, and the Red Sox ended up beating the Dodgers 8-4.

Star pitchers, Clayton Kershaw, and Chris Sale, took the mound and played okay, but the evening’s focus quickly shifted to the batters, bench, and bullpen.

Although fans may have expected the game to be all about the pitching duel between each team’s top ace, things changed early when the Red Sox scored two runs in the first inning.

The game went on with lots of lineup and pitching changes, then in the sixth inning, Red Sox reliever, Joe Kelly, threw two strikeouts and gave up no runs as he relied on a fastball that reached 100 mph.

Kelly’s toughest pitch to hit all night, however, was the “changeup” he used to strike out Matt Kemp. Just as Kemp was preparing to hit a fastball coming his way, it caught him off guard by taking a right turn. Anticipating another pitch with speed, Kemp couldn’t handle the surprising sharp change in velocity and direction.

As we try to plan for situations in life and anticipate what’s actually in store for us, we know that the expected “fastballs” can quickly become “changeups” and catch us off guard.

We feel like we’re standing in the batter’s box ready to go, prepared to hit one out of the park, and then all of a sudden we’re faced with a “changeup” from out of nowhere. The plans we had in our minds take a dramatic right turn that we never even saw coming.

Sometimes these scenarios happen so fast and hard that they cause us to strikeout temporarily, but there are also times when the unexpected gives us an opportunity to embrace the “changeup.” We can alter our perspective and still find a way to make the most of the altered plan.

So whether it’s adjusting to a changeup or bouncing back from a strikeout, we must decide how we respond and get through the unexpected things that are thrown at us. Instead of panicking, worrying, and feeling overwhelmed, as followers of Jesus, we have someone to turn to and trust.

We can have peace in knowing that God isn’t surprised by the changeup and is available for us to cling to.

Isaiah 26:3-4 (NLT) declares, “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.”

Today, if we find ourselves staring down a “changeup,” let’s be encouraged by Philippians 4:6-7 (AMP):

“Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God. And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours].”

I’m Bryce Johnson and you can unpack that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I don’t like when my plans change, but I pray that I would trust You when they do. I pray I’d find peace in knowing You will get me through the unexpected changes that take place in life. I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.