For I know the plans...
When I was a young girl, we were at a friend's house and I saw this scripture hanging on the walls of their home.
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
It was the first time I had seen it and even as a very young girl, I claimed it. I believed it. My mom had it framed for me when I graduated high school and it's now hanging in my home. The word plans is repeated three times. The question is do we or do we not trust in that plan? Do we trust that God is working all things for our good?
It's so easy to make plans. We can plan to get up at such and such a time. We can plan a vacation, a birthday party, a night out. Just because we make plans, doesn't mean they will come to fruition. We can set our alarm, and sleep through it. Something can come up and we miss the vacation, the party, or the fun night out. We really aren't in control of anything, as much as we may inevitably try to be. "A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps."
You know, sometimes it just doesn't seem to make sense. Back to our Aquatica plans - it took us three times to actually make it. Why? For what reason did I mess up the first two times and the waterpark was closed? Why, on Eli's birthday did that have to happen and then again a few days later? I really cannot say. I can say that we had two amazing days that had nothing to do with our previous plans. We rallied and God redeemed. I can say that we were able to go yesterday and had the best day ever. We were there from the time it opened until it was time to close. It could not have been a better day. We had a ton of jokes on the way about what if mom got it wrong again. We made bets on whether or not it would be open. A crummy situation turned into lots of laugher and fun. Again, I cannot speak to the specific reasons our initial plans didn't turn out, but I can say it all worked out for good. There were teachable moments within the frustration. There was mercy and grace in the midst of our failed attempts. God was still there and He was still in it. There was never a question.
I'm in the final chapters of the book I've been reading, You'll Get Through This. Lucado is describing God's vision in Revelation of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and the Lamb. He says,
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
It was the first time I had seen it and even as a very young girl, I claimed it. I believed it. My mom had it framed for me when I graduated high school and it's now hanging in my home. The word plans is repeated three times. The question is do we or do we not trust in that plan? Do we trust that God is working all things for our good?
It's so easy to make plans. We can plan to get up at such and such a time. We can plan a vacation, a birthday party, a night out. Just because we make plans, doesn't mean they will come to fruition. We can set our alarm, and sleep through it. Something can come up and we miss the vacation, the party, or the fun night out. We really aren't in control of anything, as much as we may inevitably try to be. "A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps."
You know, sometimes it just doesn't seem to make sense. Back to our Aquatica plans - it took us three times to actually make it. Why? For what reason did I mess up the first two times and the waterpark was closed? Why, on Eli's birthday did that have to happen and then again a few days later? I really cannot say. I can say that we had two amazing days that had nothing to do with our previous plans. We rallied and God redeemed. I can say that we were able to go yesterday and had the best day ever. We were there from the time it opened until it was time to close. It could not have been a better day. We had a ton of jokes on the way about what if mom got it wrong again. We made bets on whether or not it would be open. A crummy situation turned into lots of laugher and fun. Again, I cannot speak to the specific reasons our initial plans didn't turn out, but I can say it all worked out for good. There were teachable moments within the frustration. There was mercy and grace in the midst of our failed attempts. God was still there and He was still in it. There was never a question.
I'm in the final chapters of the book I've been reading, You'll Get Through This. Lucado is describing God's vision in Revelation of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and the Lamb. He says,
"This dream drives the heart of God. His purpose from all eternity is to prepare a family to indwell the kingdom of God. Oh the beauty of the thrice repeated word plans. God is plotting for our good. In all the setbacks and slip-ups, he is ordaining the best for our future. Every event of our days is designed to draw us toward God and our destiny. To the degree that we believe and accept His vision for our lives, we will get through life. When people junk us in the pit, we will stand up. God can use this for good. When family members sell us out, we will climb to our feet. God will recycle this pain. Falsely accused? Wrongly imprisoned? Utterly abandoned? We may stumble, but we do not fall. Why? "God works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will." Everything means everything. No exceptions. Everything in your life is leading to a climactic moment in which Jesus will "reconcile to Himself all things, whether thing on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross."
Wow. Everything means everything. What can I say? I cannot explain the peace I have felt in the midst of my circumstances. I can say my perspective is ever changing. I am oh so thankful for the love of God and the things He is teaching me even in this moment. I pray that in the days to come and in the next time something seems to go wrong, that I will trust in His plan, and not my own. That I will trust that He has something far better. That God can use it for good. That he will recycle this pain. That everything in my life is leading to the moment in which Jesus reconciles to Himself all things. Amen and amen. He said it three times in one verse - His plans. Lord, Your plans, not my own. Have your way in me.
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| Because her "cheese" face is the absolute cutest. |
