Where’s My Plan
How I love a good plan; the kind of plan where you spend weeks preparing each detail to ensure precise execution. Family and friends can attest to the fact that my days are filled with some sort of planning, whether it be what to do with the day, what to make for dinner and what needs to be accomplished. Vacations? There you REALLY need to be weary because, left to my own accord, you will see everything that needs to be seen in that city and do everything that needs to be done.
There are many great assets to being a planner (certainly from my perspective). Stuff gets done! Not much is left for chance, and the end of the day can mean great satisfaction. Sadly, to admit, though, when the plan gets changed, what once was a straight line takes a detour, and the aftermath can chaotic and messy. When those changes arise, the distraction can wreak havoc, especially with us planners! Once again, you only need to go as far as my family and friends to know what that means for them – a Susan that is less than pleasant to be around.
I have learned a great deal in my years as a planner whose plans are detoured. God has a better plan! I can say with a great amount of certainty that when my plans have changed, there is goodness in the change. Giving the change of plans over to God has been something I have had to work on. When I say work, that is what it has been. When the well-oiled plan is disrupted, I turn to God in prayer. Inside I say, “Not my will, but your will be done, God.” I may not like it, and I may stomp my feet a bit, but I have learned that His plans always have a greater purpose than my plans had.
God’s plan may not reveal itself in bells and whistles. Traffic that I am stuck in may result in an extra praise song I needed to hear. Detour in the actual road has me seeing God’s beauty in the side roads versus the highway. Even deeper, the cancelled meeting led me to meet with an associate who needed a listening ear. The dinner plans that were cancelled yielded a quiet night for me and my husband to reconnect.
On a larger scale, a lost job can draw one towards an opportunity of a lifetime that brings greater joy. A broken relationship can bring you towards the love of your life. A loved one who has passed on may have been spared a lifetime of agony. Friends, our plans are not our plans. Our plans, yielded to God, are His plans. My personal goal? To ask Him to share His plan with me BEFORE I make my plans. It certainly saves me a great deal of time (and dissatisfaction). I am beginning the journey of asking God what He wants me to do before I start. What is He trying to achieve? Then it is up to me to have simple faith to listen and move in His journey. When life does not go according to your plan, try God’s plan – it is guaranteed to be a blessing!
Video that complements this post: Where's My Plan
Dearest God, thank you for your gentle nudging, guiding me to the plan you have for me. May I always look to you and seek Your plan first before I make my plans. Help me to listen and move in Your direction. Amen!
Did this post speak to you? If so, you may enjoy my new book, Simple Faith for Every Season, launching in October. Stay tuned for more details or visit my website at Simple Faith For Today