If you’re like me, you probably have a habit of trying to plan out each of your days. I often make a plan of when I intend to be at work, what I intend to get done, when I plan to be home, and what my evening will look like. Perhaps it comes with being an engineer; I like things to be efficient. Perhaps it comes from pride; I believe my way is best. Perhaps it comes from fear; I want to be in control. I think all of these play a part.
I by no means am saying that making a plan is a bad thing. If you’re an arrow, you should aim where you fly. Just don’t forget that while you can control the bow, you can’t control the wind. Once you’re out there, anything could happen, and that’s okay.
God has been speaking into my heart lately, asking me to let go of my plans and to embrace his. Let me tell you, as a person who likes to have a plan, it can be terrifying at times. But it’s also a relief. Knowing that I’m not expected to have a plan for every situation is a huge weight off my shoulders. I’m not Batman, I don’t have contingencies upon contingencies. What I do have is a heavenly father who loves me deeply, and who’s never caught off guard. Here’s the beautiful part, you have him too.
As I’m writing this, I am unable to enjoy the comfort of my home because my building lost power. Considering I had a lot of plans involving wi-fi tonight, that put a bit of a damper on things. Without power, all my plans seemed to go up in smoke, even the ones that I thought were guided by God. I was totally caught off guard, but God wasn’t. He guided me to my church building, where I knew there was an open door and plenty of electricity. I regularly go there each week to help out the youth ministry, and today was one such day. I brought my gear with me, figuring I could stay late to get some work done. Because of this, I was perfectly placed to be able to help my church with some unexpected event clean-up in the evening. What began as a trail became a gift. I was still able to get my work done, and I got to give more of my time to my church family.
Not every trial will go this smoothly. Sometimes we will face challenges with no immediate solution. Sometimes we won’t know why something happened, or how God’s using it. I promise you though, he always is. When life hurts, it’s not always caused by God, but it is always used by God for our good and his glory. Hallelujah!
Isaiah 55:8-9 (ESV) – For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 43:19 (ESV) – Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
1 Corinthians 2:8-10 (ESV) – None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.