Enjoy this message from Pastor Tyler Schoenberger called "The Other Side" on Sunday, July 12, 2026 at Reach Church in Bear, Delaware!

Life rarely unfolds the way we expect, and for many of us, the gap between the life we planned and the life we are living can feel discouraging. In Mark 6, the disciples found themselves in exactly that place. Sent by Jesus to cross the sea to Bethsaida, they obeyed and began rowing. But the wind turned against them, and after nine grueling hours they had only covered a few miles. Mark describes it as making headway painfully, a phrase that captures something deeply true about the Christian life. Progress is possible, but it does not always feel like it. What makes this story so powerful is that Jesus never stopped watching. From the mountain, He saw every wave, every gust of wind, and every exhausted stroke of the oar. And at the fourth watch of the night, the darkest and most desperate hour, He came to them walking on the water. His timing was not early, and it was not late. It was exactly right.

The disciples never made it to Bethsaida. The wind carried them to Gennesaret instead. But when they arrived, the people recognized Jesus immediately and brought the sick from the entire surrounding region, and all who touched the hem of His garment were healed. What felt like being blown off course was actually God's course all along. The painful headway was not keeping them from their destination. It was leading them there. This same pattern appears throughout Scripture and throughout history. Thomas Chisholm felt called to pastoral ministry, prepared for years, and was finally ordained, only to be forced out by chronic illness within a year. He spent most of his life selling insurance instead. Yet in that unexpected season, he began writing poetry, and one of those poems became the beloved hymn Great Is Thy Faithfulness. He wrote those words after looking back on a life that had not gone according to plan and seeing not wasted years but the unbroken faithfulness of God. Whatever headwind you are facing right now, He sees you. His timing is right. And the wind is not working against His plan for your life. It is part of it.