We all have plans.
There's large plans like plans to go to college, plans to have a family, or plans to get a job. There's also smaller plans like plans to hang out with friends, plans to go shopping, or plans to make pasta for dinner.
We spend so much of our time designing our future and focusing on fulfilling the ideas that we have for ourselves.
Wouldn't you say that it takes up most of your time? You are constantly doing things in your life that are preparing you to achieve the goals that you put upon yourself.
I have fallen into that trap countless times.
Before I get into the main point of this post, I'd like to share a piece of Scripture with you that will set the stage:
Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails. - Proverbs 19:21
In other words:
People create many plans for themselves throughout their life. However, these plans will only come to fruition if it is the Lord's will and if it is part of His plan for you.
I'm sure we've all had a time in our life when we had an expectation for something and it failed.
Here's a story that my friend told me that I'd like to use as an example:
You all know of the Titanic, right? The famous "unsinkable" ship that sank with thousands of passengers aboard that was turned into a movie (personally one of my favorites!). My friend's great-grandparents were supposed to be on that ship; however, they ended up being late and the ship had embarked before they arrived.
Sometimes our plans don't come to fruition simply because they are not part of God's plan for you, and sometimes He is protecting you.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,”declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." - Isaiah 55:8-9
If there's one thing I've learned throughout my life, it's that God's plans are always greater than my own. I have seen this through failed relationships, changes in heart, disrupted plans, and unexpected things.
Have you had an experience in your life where the opposite of what you had wanted occurred, but it ended up being better in the long run?
That's an example of God's work. Sometimes He gives what we didn't know we needed.
Especially at first, it can be hard to understand the reason why certain things happen to us. However, in times of confusion and doubt, just remember:
God is omnipotent and omniscient, meaning all-knowing and all-powerful.
For with God nothing will be impossible. - Luke 1:37
God knows what your plans were. God knows what you wanted. God knows what your dreams are.
If it is God's plan for you, it will be done.
It might not always be our plans that are being fulfilled. However, God's plans for you will always be fulfilled.
One of the biggest changes in my life occurred when I learned to trust God's plan over my own instead of focusing so heavily on the plans I created for myself.
Here's an example of how this helped me:
I'm extremely studious and I work very hard to obtain good grades. Whenever I get a bad grade, it crushes me. Getting good grades is important to me because I want so badly to get a good scholarship to help my family, so this plan of mine to get that scholarship creates fear and stress in my life whenever I don't perform well.
BUT, as soon as I began to trust God's plan for me and to put everything into His hands, I learned that getting a few bad grades is not going to stop me from going where I'm meant to go.
In fact, it's part of my journey.
I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason and that everything you endure is part of God's plan for you.
His plan for you is already set. Nothing will stop you from getting to where God wants you to be. So why stress?
I know it can be frustrating not knowing why things are happening to you or where you're headed, but you should have no fear over that if you completely trust that God will guide you and take care of you.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. - Proverbs 3:5-6
The title of this post is Our Plan Vs. God's Plan.
Here's some key points that I'd like you to take with you:
God's plan is always greater than our plan.
God's plan for us might not always align with our own plan.
The key to staying confident in God's plan for you is trusting Him.
God's plan for you is set. Nothing will stop you from getting there.
Thank you for taking the time to read my post. I hope that you'll visit back for more!
I'd love to hear your personal stories on how you found God's plan for you! Comment it below!
XO,
Leah