“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” Proverbs 16:9
Have you recently determined to do something and had the thought, “well that didn’t go as I planned “? I can definitely say that I have!
My daughter and I were scheduled to go on a mission trip to Guatemala this past week. As a matter of fact, we were supposed to be there now. We were excited to be going and couldn’t wait to see how God was going to work through us to minister to the people of that country. It was not going to be my first international trip, but it was going to be a first for my 14-year-old daughter.
As we prepared, we did the necessary things to plan for the journey. I scheduled time off, she worked ahead in her classes, we got our passports, and we began to pack our bags. No matter how much we prepared spiritually and physically, our idea of how things would go did not come to pass. We were scheduled to leave this past Thursday, but on Monday, we learned of political unrest in the country of Guatemala. As a result, the airline stopped flights to that location, and our plan came to a halt.
So many times in our lives, we can become discouraged when things don’t go as we planned. I can truly say that I am thankful for the protection of the LORD in this matter, but I can also admit that I was disappointed.
Psalms 37:23-24 says “A person’s steps are established by the LORD, and He takes pleasure in His way. Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed, because the LORD supports him with His hand.”
I am thankful that I can fully trust the LORD to direct and establish His plans for me. We as humans can sometimes become discouraged when we think we do everything correctly, and we don’t understand why it still doesn’t play out as we planned. But we must remember that we have a limited view of what lies ahead. We do not understand or perceive what the future holds.
This may be true in your life. It may not have been a cancellation of a mission trip, but maybe it was a health diagnosis that caught you off guard or the loss of a job or a loved one passing. It may feel as if nothing you ever planned has turned out the way that you wanted it to.
I have heard a saying that I believe is untrue, “Tell God your plans and He laughs.” I believe that this is wrong on so many levels. Our loving Heavenly Father, who gave us His best gift through Christ, His Son, doesn’t laugh at us when we hurt. He is caring and compassionate and knows what is best for us.
We live in a fallen world, and sin has marred the perfect plan that was to be. It all goes back to the garden! His redemption response was through His very best gift, Jesus. His plan was far greater than anything we could have imagined.
We must acknowledge that He is actively working in our lives in all things, as Romans 8:28 states:
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.”
Our Heavenly Father does not give us everything that we want but guides us in the way we should go.
“It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8
I am so grateful that I can trust the One who cares for every detail of my life! He is more than able to direct and protect my paths. My prayer is that you will find Him to be trustworthy in your plans as well and that you can see that He cares for you.
Amanda Patterson
Lean into Jesus Ministries
#amandapattersonblogs
