Altered Plans, Established Steps

I used to thrive off of plans, thinking ahead, preparing. I would get two weeks ahead in school. I would try to plan get togethers with friends to the tee weeks before we were planning on meeting. But gosh… when a wrench gets thrown into your plans. Not just little waves, but earthquakes, tsunamis that change your entire life in an instant. What do you do? When all you want is everything to slow down, go back to normal, be predictable again, but wave after wave, something shifts like the sand? In and of myself, in all honesty, I’d like to scream. I’d like to hit rewind and change things. I’d like to shift everything back to how it was before. But I’m not God and thank goodness I’m not. Humans, myself definitely included, always make puny gods. We are selfish, constrained by time, and places, and we see life through tunnel vision. I don’t understand and I wish I did. I wish I could make sense of everything. I wish I could see the “whys.” But I’m so glad that it isn’t up to me. It’s not up to me to fix or achieve or give an answer. I cannot control most things. The things I can control are my responses and how I continue to live, but even that… I do not have the answer within myself. Abandoning control is an internal struggle, one that never seems to be settled. As I continue to live, I recognize more and more how little is within my control and how silly planning is sometimes. Don’t get wrong, a well thought out plan is beautiful when it all comes together, but we can never be sure of the exact outcome. I’m reminded every day of Proverbs 16:9, “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”

We can plan all we want, but He has the final say. He sees the bigger picture, the outcomes, the end goal. He sees what needs to happen for our good and His glory, even when the things that happen don’t necessarily feel good, it will turn out well if we leave it in His hands. I can’t tell you how many plans I’ve made this year that have fallen through or expectations I had that were absolutely obliterated. This year has been one of the toughest for sure. It’s been full of hardship, grief, tears, fighting for unity and peace, fighting for truth, fighting to be understood, choosing praise when I felt the opposite, choosing joy, knowing when to speak and when to just listen. It’s been a bruising of a year, truly. “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.”-2 Corinthians 4:8.

There have been plenty of lessons wrapped up in altered plans and trusting Him to establish my steps. Here are some things I’ve been learning, growing in, and refining. 

1. Be content. “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned that in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”(Philippians 4:11-13). Content because we know who holds every situation in His hands. We know that He sees the full picture and we trust because in whatever situation, we are always in His hands, and that is the place we are most content. 

2. Choose to praise. It won’t come naturally. Our circumstances might scream and echo complaint and misery. We must remind our souls of its purpose and choose to praise Him. Not because our circumstances are perfect or necessarily praise worthy, but because He is always praise worthy. No matter what we go through. 

3. Remain humble and grateful. Gratitude in hard moments isn’t easy, but it is absolutely life changing when we choose to be grateful in the midst of the mundane. No matter your situation, removing yourself and reminding yourself that there is still goodness abounding changes your perspective and invites praise. It might be tough. The greatest good thing you might be able to think of is that there is breath in your lungs or the sky is blue or it’s Christmas time or for a person. But there is goodness and blessing to be found in everyday, no matter the situations that arise, there is goodness. And most of the time, there is an even greater goodness that we can’t see just yet. On the other side of patience, obedience, and willingness, there is greater goodness. 

4. Remember we have a high priest. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with  our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:15-16). He sympathizes with us. Not just in sin, but in trial and heartache and pain. In all things, He knows. He understands. Look at Jesus’ life and see that it was not free from trials. And through it all, He abided in His Father, as should we. He sees you. He knows the pain, the heartache. It is not unknown to Him. Out of all people, He is the one who knows the best. Jesus Christ lived a life just like you and I, He experienced all the things you do. He knows pain. He knows hardship. He knows emotion. He knows the wrestle. He knows. So turn to Him. He isn’t unaware. You are His child. He watches over you. He equips you. He holds you. He is near. 

Through all the tainted plans, His Word proves true. Time after time, every wrench in my plan is a launching pad for His plan. And while in the moment it sucks to see my plans fall apart, it’s incredible to watch His fall together. I would rather watch my own plans fall apart a thousand times than miss out on what He has for me. What He has is better. What He has is good. I am eager, so eager to continue to be a witness and vessel for His plan. Altered plans just mean we get to look forward to established steps. Don’t get me wrong, this is all far from easy. It takes time and patience and learning. But it’s a sweet journey with the Lord along the way and it is so worth it to draw even nearer to Him in trials.