Anita Parker

God’s Plan

“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

Woody Allen once said, “If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans.” Though I don’t know Mr. Allen personally, my opinion is that this statement rang true to him because he had made plans that went nothing like the ones God had planned for his life. While I don’t think it’s a bad idea to have a plan, I do think that those of us who trust God to lead and guide us should also trust His input into our plans.

For those who truly know me, it is evident that I am a planner to my core. My plan B has a plan B! Although I know this trait makes me a great administrator, it has made me a poor follower of God, at times. When you are a planner of the activities of your life, you also plan how the outcomes should look. When things don’t look like their going according to your plans, frustration sets in. In addition, you devise a new plan, not realizing that the rerouting of the initial plan could be God trying to get you to where He knows you should be.

What does God have to do with this? Everything if you’ve ever said you wanted His will to be done for your life! Isaiah 55:8 conveys to us that His thoughts are not our thoughts, nor His ways ours. When you give God free reign, your plans will be altered. Why? Because He loves us enough not to make us go through unnecessary things or fall into dangerous traps that our plans could potentially put us in. Moreover, He wants to give us hope and a future. The continual pitfalls we may face in our own planning could leave us hopeless. Allowing the redirection of God restores our hope. Also, our future could be very bleak with no input from an all-knowing God with infinite wisdom.

Everyone has been so excited lately about the month of August and the newness that it is prophesied to bring. I am equally excited, BUT I know that certain aspects of my newness will be forfeited if I don’t allow God to do a new thing in me first. If I’m holding fast to my plans and ways only, my “new thing” will come with limitations. God’s wisdom and ways supersede any that I or you can even fathom. The creator of all things is the only one who knows how all things should work. There is no level of education that can override this fact! Knowing this changed my stance. Allow it to change yours. Yes, I will continue to make plans, but I will leave room for God to intervene in the places that are necessary for me to live out my destiny and purpose. Part of my daily prayer is that He will align my plans with the ones that He has for my life. My plans may not always glorify Him. They have the probability to make me miss divine connections that only He can orchestrate. Train tracks are connected based on the intended destination. Allow the Engineer of your life to lead you to your purposed destination.

We make our plans, but God has the last word. (Proverbs 16:1) Ask the Lord to bless your plans, and you will be successful in carrying them out. (Proverbs 16:3) You may make your plans, but God directs your actions. (Proverbs 16:9) Pay attention to what you are taught, and you will be successful; trust in the Lord and you will be happy. (Proverbs 16:20) What you think is the right road may lead to death. (Proverbs 16:25)