Do you know that an ostrich can kill a lion? Yes, it can. An ostrich can kill a human and has been known to kill lions with one single well-placed kick. I can only imagine how powerful that kick would be. Ostriches can kick up to 2,000 pounds (141 kilograms) per square inch.
Sometimes facts like this surprise us. I have never seen an ostrich in real life, only in videos. But if you have seen one in real life, and maybe even witnessed it kicking a lion, I tell you, you are lucky to witness that force of nature.
Thinking about that, you know, sometimes we think we are strong in many things. But when a small, well-placed problem comes into our life, like an ostrich kick, it can completely shake us.
I remember when I was in the Philippines. I made some bold decisions. I had a good job back in India, and when I left, I was on good terms with my director. Later, I came to know they were even considering me for a leadership role. But I had this strong desire in my heart to move out of the country and explore new opportunities. At first, everything went well. Things were fine for some years. But later, things started getting difficult, especially during the COVID-19 period. Jobs were uncertain, people were losing jobs, and I was also on the verge of losing mine.
During those days, I used to tell myself, “I don’t have any testimonies in my life. Maybe God doesn’t do miracles for me. Maybe I am not worthy.” But little did I realize that every moment of my life until then was God’s pure grace. He kept me alive, provided for me, and sustained me wherever I went.
Then suddenly, something happened.
The job I had, I had to leave it for some reason. I never imagined that this decision/situation would put me in a position of homelessness. That job provided me shelter, a place to stay, and a place to live. But once I had to leave it during COVID-19, I became homeless immediately.
This is the Cubao bus terminal that i was staying for more than a week to look for my next designation while I was homeless.
This phase in my life was very hard. I was not prepared for it. I didn’t know what to do. I called a few friends whom I knew from my church. I gave away most of the things I had because I didn’t know where I would take them. I had no further plan. The rent was due, and I didn’t want the owner to come and chase me away. I wanted to leave quietly before that happened.
I didn’t have many friends at that time. I was new to the country and knew only a few people. I also had very little money, maybe around 6,000 pesos, about 100 dollars. I didn’t even have a bank account because my visa was not yet confirmed, and the charges for it were too high for me to afford. I didn’t know what else to do. I told myself, “Okay, let me just go to a bus stand and stay there for some time.” I called one of my friends, but he was not in the city; he was far away, in another part of the country.
So I took my suitcase and stayed at a bus stand, in the Cubao terminal in Manila, where buses go to the north of the Philippines. I stayed there for a week. I couldn’t take a proper bath. I looked like a beggar, with long hair and a tired face. I looked very pathetic.
Finally, the friend I had called earlier replied to me after a week and said, “Maybe you can come and help us with some work, and we can give you a small stipend.” I immediately said yes. I used up all the money I had, and with the last leftover money, I bought the ticket and traveled to the other part of the country where my friend and his team were staying. This experience completely shook me. I cried so much during that time. I remembered Peter when he denied Jesus three times, how he cried bitterly.
I feel like I cried the same way. The loneliness killed me internally, especially being in a foreign country, no one around, hungry, not even able to speak the local language, people looking at me strangely… it was extremely painful. I tried to manage somehow. I sold most of my things right there where I was staying and gave away some for free, because I did not know what would happen next, and if nothing works out at all, I should at least have some money to book a ticket to at least go back to my country. I could have called my dad or my brother.
They were just one call away, and they would have surely helped me book my ticket, and I could have even returned to India without any issues, but something inside me kept telling me, “Go through this. This will teach you something. This ostrich kick in your life will give you an experience you will never forget.”
“Sometimes God allows us to lose what we depend on, so we can learn to depend on Him.”
For about a month, I was homeless, moving from place to place, doing small volunteer jobs, earning little money, just enough to eat once a day. Trying to survive. But slowly, things began to change. Situations improved. God started showing me that He was still in control. That moment which brought me to that part of the country, called Isabela, Cagayan Valley in the North of Luzon, Philippines, was part of His plan.
Because that place is where I found my wife.
Pictures taken during those difficult times with my wife-to-be, who always gave me a smile and a sense of belonging.
If that moment had not happened, I would have never met her. That difficult situation pushed me into a path God had already prepared. Not just for that moment, just to see the woman God had prepared for me, but for my entire life ahead. That experience of homelessness made me trust God more than ever before. I have always been someone who takes risks and makes bold decisions. But this experience shaped me differently.
You know, ostrich kicks are terrible sometimes. But those kicks can reshape our entire identity. Sometimes they shake our faith, sometimes they push us out of our comfort zones. But God never allows these kicks without a reason. He allows them so His plan can be fulfilled in our lives. These are moments when we feel like giving up. Some may even think of ending their life. But remember this — it only took one small collision with an iceberg to bring down the so-called “unsinkable ship,” the Titanic. A very small impact, but it caused massive destruction.
“The moment I thought I had nothing left was the moment God was preparing something greater.”
Life is like that. We may think we are strong, but one well-placed blow can break us. But here is the truth — when problems come, solutions are also introduced. Many of us focus only on the problem and forget to look for the solution. We focus on who caused the problem instead of seeking the One who can solve it. These are the moments when we often run toward the problem giver without realizing it. But these are testing times, and these are training moments for bigger challenges ahead.
We often wish for a life without struggles, just peace all the time, but that is not reality. There is always a battle between good and evil. Evil often comes disguised as truth, yet it’s always a trap. When Adam and Eve fell, God already had a plan to save them. That plan was not made after their fall. It was prepared long before even before the Earth and all its life inside was put forth.
So my friend, when ostrich kicks come into your life, remember this — there is a divine plan behind it. God is moving you away from the comfort zone that took away your freedom, that cause you to forget who is the author and finisher or our lives, whom you barely see because of the extreme clutches of life. These are the moments you must ask God to open your eyes to see beyond the situation.
I know it is hard. I have gone through it, and I know the pain.
“What feels like a breaking point is often God’s turning point.”
Ostrich kicks are inevitable in life. But if we stay close to the Lord, He will always show us the path forward. His plans may not always feel comfortable, but they are always purposeful.
When life hits you hard, don’t give up. That moment may not be the end—it may be a redirection. What feels like a blow today could be the very thing that leads you to where you are meant to be tomorrow.
