--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When things don't turn out the way we…" description: "\"“When things don't turn out the way we want, about the only thing we can do is know God is still there piecing together all the scraps of the events in..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f32/jody-hedlund-19424_big-picture_when-things-don-t-turn-out-the-way-we-wa_788579.jpg" --- # When things don't turn out the way we want, about the only… ![“When things don't turn out the way we want, about the only thing we can do is know God is still there piecing together all the scraps of the events in our lives the way He has planned. He sees the big picture even when we don't.” quote by Jody Hedlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f32/jody-hedlund-19424_big-picture_when-things-don-t-turn-out-the-way-we-wa_788579.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f32/jody-hedlund-19424_big-picture_when-things-don-t-turn-out-the-way-we-wa_788579.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f32/jody-hedlund-19424_big-picture_when-things-don-t-turn-out-the-way-we-wa_788579.jpg) > ““When things don't turn out the way we want, about the only thing we can do is know God is still there piecing together all the scraps of the events in our lives the way He has planned. He sees the big picture even when we don't.”” [Jody Hedlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-hedlund/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When events go wrong, trust that a higher plan is assembling the pieces. **In simple terms:** Trust that a larger plan is at work despite setbacks. Key Takeaway Maintain faith during adversity. Themes faith resilience trust Mood contemplative comforting Type spiritual philosophical When to use this quote - grief - health crises - career setbacks - relationship challenges Key Concepts theology meaning-making Questions to Reflect On - How do you find meaning in hardship? - What evidence supports a larger purpose? A Different Perspective Belief may be challenged when suffering seems random. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Big picture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-picture/) ## Related quotes > [God sees the big picture. He knows who belongs in our lives and who doesnt¦and He loves us TOO much to allow us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola-http-wwwamoreloveforlifecom/god-sees-the-big-picture-he-knows-who-belongs-in-our-lives-and-who/) Kemmy Nola Http://wwwamoreloveforlifecom > [Eddie sees the big picture. He's clearly got a vision of how to make this thing the big event. And he never stops working.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-collins/eddie-sees-the-big-picture-he-s-clearly-got-a-vision-of-how-to-make/) [Susan Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-collins/) > [Trust God to make a way. Sometimes we can only see what's in front of us, but God sees the big picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-tomasello/trust-god-to-make-a-way-sometimes-we-can-only-see-what-s-in-front-of/) [Mario Tomasello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-tomasello/) > [Put god first and everything will work out, maybe not the way you planned, but just how it's meant to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-god-first-and-everything-will-work-out-maybe-not-the-way-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A boxer never sees the big one that hits him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-foreman/a-boxer-never-sees-the-big-one-that-hits-him/) [George Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-foreman/) > [I don't see the big picture. I don't have a clue. But I know God does. I'm going to declare that, even if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-curtis-chapman/i-don-t-see-the-big-picture-i-don-t-have-a-clue-but-i-know-god-does-i/) [Steven Curtis Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-curtis-chapman/) > [“So what if my life isn’t turning out exactly the way I’d planned? It’s not ruined, it’ll just be different.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-allred/so-what-if-my-life-isn-t-turning-out-exactly-the-way-i-d-planned-it-s/) [Katherine Allred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-allred/) > [My life may not be going the way I planned it, but it is going EXACTLY the way GOD planned it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-life-may-not-be-going-the-way-i-planned-it-but-it-is-going-exactly/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Our life does not always turn out the way we planned, but sometimes that because what we planned wasn't suppose to be our life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/our-life-does-not-always-turn-out-the-way-we-planned-but-sometimes/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [Things don't always happen the way we planned. As we learn to trust in God's plan, we will see that He has our best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ellis/things-don-t-always-happen-the-way-we-planned-as-we-learn-to-trust-in/) [Dan Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ellis/) > [Things go entirely differently from the way you planned them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/things-go-entirely-differently-from-the-way-you-planned-them/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [Be content where you are! The sooner I let go of the notion that something could only be one way, the way I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-adam-hamilton/be-content-where-you-are-the-sooner-i-let-go-of-the-notion-that/) [Michael Adam Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-adam-hamilton/) > [All the things she planned to feel, the way she planned to look and seem, the appropriate things she planned to say. None of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/all-the-things-she-planned-to-feel-the-way-she-planned-to-look-and/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [Just because things hadn't gone the way I had planned didn't necessarily mean they had gone wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/just-because-things-hadn-t-gone-the-way-i-had-planned-didn-t/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [“You can map out a fight plan or a life plan, but when the action starts, it may not go the way you planned,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-frazier/you-can-map-out-a-fight-plan-or-a-life-plan-but-when-the-action-2/) [Joe Frazier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-frazier/) ## More by Jody Hedlund > [“However, as he began his prayer, she couldn’t think about anything but the warm pressure of his hands against hers. His fingers were strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-hedlund/however-as-he-began-his-prayer-she-couldn-t-think-about-anything-but/) [Jody Hedlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-hedlund/) > [“Maybe that's why God had placed the angel at the Garden of Eden—to keep people away from the Tree of Life? Not to prevent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-hedlund/maybe-that-s-why-god-had-placed-the-angel-at-the-garden-of-eden-to/) [Jody Hedlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-hedlund/) > [“Her pretty mouth curled into the beginning of a smile. He’d learned that she doled out smiles sparingly, and so he gave himself permission…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-hedlund/her-pretty-mouth-curled-into-the-beginning-of-a-smile-he-d-learned/) [Jody Hedlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-hedlund/) > [“I’ve been trying to think of a solution,” Reinhold said, “and I could come up with only one idea.” “What?” “Marry me.” A burst…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-hedlund/i-ve-been-trying-to-think-of-a-solution-reinhold-said-and-i-could/) [Jody Hedlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-hedlund/) > [“Maybe we won't have the beauty of a perfect summer. But neither do we have to endure the callousness of an uncaring winter. Instead,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-hedlund/maybe-we-won-t-have-the-beauty-of-a-perfect-summer-but-neither-do-we/) [Jody Hedlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-hedlund/) > [“Christine,” he mumbled between their lips, “we must be married soon.” She couldn’t find the words to answer him. She’d never imagined anyone would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-hedlund/christine-he-mumbled-between-their-lips-we-must-be-married-soon-she/) [Jody Hedlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-hedlund/) > [“They would face many more hardships in the days to come. They wouldn’t be perfect and neither would their marriage. But they could still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-hedlund/they-would-face-many-more-hardships-in-the-days-to-come-they-wouldn-t/) [Jody Hedlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-hedlund/) > [“Just because the whole world changes its opinion about something doesn't mean God changes his.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-hedlund/just-because-the-whole-world-changes-its-opinion-about-something/) [Jody Hedlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-hedlund/) > [“Reverend Bedell?” she said. He halted and glanced at her. She expected irritation or at least weariness to cross his features and was completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-hedlund/reverend-bedell-she-said-he-halted-and-glanced-at-her-she-expected/) [Jody Hedlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-hedlund/) > [“Her words made her pause. She couldn't have anything that was truly worthwhile without fighting for it-her farm, her family, and perhaps even love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-hedlund/her-words-made-her-pause-she-couldn-t-have-anything-that-was-truly/) [Jody Hedlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-hedlund/) > [“Christine,” he started, “is it possible that God can do more yet between us?” Was that a note of hope in his voice? Did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-hedlund/christine-he-started-is-it-possible-that-god-can-do-more-yet-between/) [Jody Hedlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-hedlund/) > [“You’re amazing.” He didn’t realize he’d spoken the words aloud and that he was staring at her again, until she averted her eyes, looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-hedlund/you-re-amazing-he-didn-t-realize-he-d-spoken-the-words-aloud-and-that/) [Jody Hedlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-hedlund/) > [“Maybe his offer to marry her had taken them both by surprise, but now that he’d brought it up, he couldn’t imagine his life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-hedlund/maybe-his-offer-to-marry-her-had-taken-them-both-by-surprise-but-now/) [Jody Hedlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-hedlund/) > [“Like last week, she was wearing all black. And like last week, he couldn’t keep from noticing the way the dark color highlighted her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-hedlund/like-last-week-she-was-wearing-all-black-and-like-last-week-he-couldn/) [Jody Hedlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-hedlund/) > [“Maybe we both let our fears push each other away. But we don't have to do that anymore.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-hedlund/maybe-we-both-let-our-fears-push-each-other-away-but-we-don-t-have-to/) [Jody Hedlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-hedlund/) [Explore all 32 Jody Hedlund quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-hedlund/) ## More Big picture quotes > [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/) [Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/) > [Learn to see the big picture. Often times we get tunnel vision and lose sight of the big picture and what we're really trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-cheeke/learn-to-see-the-big-picture-often-times-we-get-tunnel-vision-and/) [Robert Cheeke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-cheeke/) > [“Everything's a painting, anyway," Fawn said. "That's what I think. We live inside a giant painting, only we can't see who's holding the paintbrush.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-christo/everything-s-a-painting-anyway-fawn-said-that-s-what-i-think-we-live/) [Rose Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-christo/) > [When scientists are asked what they are working on, their response is seldom 'Finding the origin of the universe' or 'Seeking to cure cancer.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/when-scientists-are-asked-what-they-are-working-on-their-response-is/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [My mom taught me the power of love. I learned to focus on the long-term big picture from my father. His sense of humor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padmasree-warrior/my-mom-taught-me-the-power-of-love-i-learned-to-focus-on-the-long/) [Padmasree Warrior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padmasree-warrior/) > [Sometimes we find ourselves stumbling over obstacles we face today but always see the big picture and keep moving forward. Have faith - someday…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-krause/sometimes-we-find-ourselves-stumbling-over-obstacles-we-face-today/) [Tom Krause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-krause/) > [I think that the fact of the matter is that metal isn't really part of the big picture of the gay, lesbian, transgender music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-halford/i-think-that-the-fact-of-the-matter-is-that-metal-isn-t-really-part/) [Rob Halford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-halford/) > [I am a bigger-picture manager because I've lived through something that's a big picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/i-am-a-bigger-picture-manager-because-i-ve-lived-through-something/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [“I suppose that was an example of close attention to detail that is common to writers and artists. It is imperative, whether consciously or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-winder/i-suppose-that-was-an-example-of-close-attention-to-detail-that-is/) [Elizabeth Winder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-winder/) > [“When she made her way to the big picture window that framed the dining room table she froze. She stopped breathing. The anger was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/when-she-made-her-way-to-the-big-picture-window-that-framed-the/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [Everyone is against micro managing but macro managing means you're working at the big picture but don't know the details.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mintzberg/everyone-is-against-micro-managing-but-macro-managing-means-you-re/) [Henry Mintzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mintzberg/) > [To be a good citizen, it's important to be able to put yourself in other people's shoes and see the big picture. If everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-pariser/to-be-a-good-citizen-it-s-important-to-be-able-to-put-yourself-in/) [Eli Pariser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-pariser/) > [It is important to ask yourself why you’re doing what you’re doing and what purpose it serves in the big picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/it-is-important-to-ask-yourself-why-you-re-doing-what-you-re-doing/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [To be a champion, I think you have to see the big picture. It's not about winning and losing; it's about every day hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-sanders/to-be-a-champion-i-think-you-have-to-see-the-big-picture-it-s-not/) [Summer Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-sanders/) > [“I would love to tell you that being a content manager is easy. Straightforward. That you will be able to focus on what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-busche/i-would-love-to-tell-you-that-being-a-content-manager-is-easy/) [Laura Busche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-busche/) [Browse all 423 Big picture quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-picture/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“When things don't turn out the way we want, about the only thing we can do is know God is still there piecing together all the scraps of the events in our lives the way He has planned. 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