There are moments in life—fleeting, almost surreal—when time seems to pause, and you can feel eternity reaching out to touch your soul. The Greeks had a word for this: Kairos. Unlike chronos, which ticks on, minute by minute, Kairos moments interrupt the routine with purpose, revealing God’s divine setup. They are the heartbeat of destiny, the turning points where our lives pivot in ways we could have never imagined.

In last week’s sermon, I talked about the “camera moment”—a split-second decision to either zoom in on our obstacles or focus on the breakthroughs beyond them. These obstacles come in all shapes and sizes: addiction, fear, doubt, regrets—our own gallery of shadows. Yet in those Kairos moments, God shines a light that shows us a way through, a divine setup we couldn’t manufacture if we tried.

One of my earliest Kairos moments came in a place that felt like rock bottom. I was sitting alone in a jail cell, facing the consequences of choices I’d made, and my life felt completely out of control. Yet it was there, in the quiet and isolation of that cell, that I encountered the living God in a way I could never have anticipated. Time seemed to stand still, and God’s presence filled the space around me. It was as if He reached down and lifted my soul, showing me that my life was far from over—that He had a purpose and a calling beyond what I could see. That moment marked the beginning of my journey toward redemption, a divine turning point in the middle of despair.

Just a few years later, God’s orchestration became evident again, this time in a place that seemed equally unexpected. I was working at a sandwich shop, trying to make ends meet, when I lost my job. At that moment, it felt like a crushing defeat. I didn’t know where to go or what to do, and doubts crept in. But God was at work, opening a door I would have never chosen for myself. I took a job at a pizzeria, and that’s where I met Melissa. In the simplest and most unexpected place, God had divinely orchestrated our paths to cross. She didn’t know it at the time, and neither did I, but this was a love story written by God Himself. Melissa became my wife, the mother of my children, and the love of my life. Losing my job at that sandwich shop felt like failure, but it was actually the beginning of a life blessed by God beyond anything I could have planned.

Nearly 20 years later, I’m still seeing the fruit of these divinely orchestrated Kairos moments. What felt like the end in a jail cell was actually the beginning of a new life. What seemed like defeat at a sandwich shop became the doorway to a lifelong love. These moments weren’t just for me; they’ve shaped the lives of my children, my family, and everyone touched by our story. God took what seemed like setbacks and turned them into setups that have blessed generations.

When we face obstacles, it’s easy to fixate on the immediate pain, to feel as though everything is lost. But Kairos moments remind us to shift our gaze, to trust that God’s plan is in motion even when we can’t see it. Every setback is a setup for something far greater if we’re willing to step into God’s timing.

What Kairos moment is calling you today? Maybe you’re in a moment that feels hopeless or lost. Don’t miss it. In God’s hands, a single moment can reverberate through eternity. Let’s be ready to respond, to step into the divine setup, and to allow our lives to reflect His glory, one moment at a time.