The Plans I Have For You
I’ve started this post a half dozen times. In every instance, believing I knew just what I wanted to convey until I began writing. A thick blanket of fog would cloud my thoughts, leaving me confused, frustrated, and ultimately wandering aimlessly thinking, but I have so much to say. That’s how my life has felt the past five years. Well-intentioned plans overshadowed by a force far greater than anything I imagined. I’ve asked myself repeatedly, how in the world did I get here? Fractured, hurting and alone; separated from my parents and two older brothers by death. Losing them within forty months all the more agonizing and undeniably devastating. I didn’t envision my life this way. It was going to be different. Or so I hoped.
Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. -Proverbs 19:21
God has a peculiar way of altering our plans. And boy did He ever switch things up on me. I never imagined I’d be left behind at the age of fifty by those who played the most significant role in shaping my life. But I have. And I believe God has a purpose in all of it.
As I journey on with life in search of discovery and meaning, so much has changed. Pursuits that once prioritized my to-do list have fallen by the wayside. Death has a way of clarifying what’s important and sifting through nonsense. I no longer entertain that which negatively contributes to my wellbeing; the pull is a great expense to bear. I’m now intentional about my time. It’s sacred. I was reckless with it before. Failing to fully grasp how precious a commodity it is. Yet, I have no regrets. Life’s a teacher. The world its classroom. And I, a devout student.
My life’s experiences served enough pain to harden my heart and create a bitterness that bites. And that’s precisely what would have happened if I hadn’t heeded the call at an early age to follow Jesus. I know I’d be one miserable mess, stuck in self-pity, blaming everyone in my path for where I am. But life with God is different. It’s liberating, rewarding, and comes with enormous responsibility. And there’s no other place I’d rather be than standing firmly in The Will of God.
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. – Jeremiah 29: 11
As I embark upon the calling God has placed on my life, I realize that just as with this post, there may be times when I get stuck. Times when I find myself beginning again or wandering about. Times when things get a bit hazy. But because I have God within me, I have the assurance that His plans for me are good. He has proven Himself over and over. When I’m hurting, He heals. When I’m lonely, He comforts me. When I’m troubled, He provides peace. On every hand, He has proven Himself faithful, especially in the midst of my darkest times. With a guarantee like that, I’ll gladly follow Him… anywhere.
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. - 2 Corinthians 3:17
Has God ever switched things up on you? What happened and how did you handle it? Share your story with me. I would love to hear about it.
