Sometimes God Has A Different Plan
Do your plans ever work out exactly like you intended or thought they should have?
There is a story in the Bible where Jesus has the opportunity to heal a good friend of his. However, Jesus waits a little too long to go see him. Instead of a miraculous healing of a sick man, this man dies.
The family and friends of this man were completely grief-stricken. They wept and mourned. They were sad beyond description; and, I think they were also a little upset at Jesus.
You see, Jesus took his time before leaving to go see his friend. One might think (and I am sure many people that were there expected) that Jesus would have immediately gone to his friend to heal him. But, Jesus waited, and during the extended time, the man died.
To make a long story short, there was something bigger and more important going on.
Jesus could have easily healed his friend before the friend died. There are examples in the Bible where Jesus spoke a mere word from far away and people were healed. Why should this time be any different?
God had a different plan.
Jesus waited until the man had been dead four days and then he did something amazing and something more important.
The amazing thing? Jesus healed the dead man!! What was more important? God showed that he has power over death.
So, the simple question for you…
Think about your struggles and your questions. Think about the things that are not going exactly like you had planned; or, maybe not at all like you planned.
Does God have a different plan for you?
Could God be doing something bigger in your life – something that requires more time or preparation? Could God be using something in your life to make a bigger impact for others? Rest-assured, though, God does have a plan for you.
God wants his power to be seen, and to be known, in you and through you. Sometimes, though, our plans have to fail. And sometimes things have to go in a different way than what we expect. Sometimes there has to be a storm and our plans have to fail in order for God’s plans to succeed.
Question: Do you agree that sometimes there has to be a storm where our plans fail in order for God’s plans to succeed? Have you experienced a time where something you wanted to happen didn’t; but, as a direct response, something better happened for you or someone else? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
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Awesome post! Jeremiah 29:11 is the perfect verse to be reminded of!
That is a perfect verse!
Oh, the times my plans have had to change…. Too numerous to count, it seems.
I understand your point here completely. I was supposed to join a parachurch ministry, leading the youth division. We raised 85% of our support only to have the ministry tells us it wasn’t going to happen. This was 6 weeks before our start date. My church had already hired my replacement, and I was out in the cold.
Talk about a storm! But God came through in such a way that our transition was seamless from that church to our current church. Didn’t even miss a paycheck. My timing? No. But God did something better than I could have imagened.
A while back I spent some time reflecting on some of life’s episodes where it was clear that God was doing something. It’s humbling to realize that there are so many things outside of my control – or, how few things that I actually have control over. And, it makes me thankful that there is a God that sees the bigger picture.
Thanks for sharing your storm story! I know they don’t always work out so well – and I am sure there was a good bit of time in turmoil before the end was clear – but, how cool that things worked out better than you could have imagined!
Steven, I can remember getting my first feedback on a novel I had written. The dreaded word “potential” was used (gotta go back decades for this painful memory but it’s like the I-just-want-to-be-friends conversation). Sucked the creative juices right out of my soul. That dark day led to a greater commitment to learn the craft. I’m still waiting for that first contract but I know I’m a much better writer now than then and the story has grown since that first offering. It’s loads better.–Tom
I’ve heard that “whooshing” sound too as all the creative juices, confidence, and desire is sucked right out. Thankfully you have used that experience to push you forward instead of letting it continue to paralyze you.
What did you do to get in those early days to move from the experience into the commitment to better learn the craft?
[…] Sometimes God has a different plan […]
Hey Steven, Thanks for the insight. Well as you know Jeff and I moved here to Colorado Springs to take a Ministry job that we thought we would be with for the rest of our life. We made some huge sacrifices but we felt God confirming our move here and we jumped at the chance to be in vocational ministry again. Then after 3 years, he was “let go” after a leadership change. We were stunned, shocked, confused, angry….the list could go on and on. Well, now two years later we are raising support to go on the mission field to do some incredible stuff with GEM. This opportunity is even a better fit than the previous ministry. However, this leap of faith is scarier now because we are coming out of a season of failure. Risking again, trusting God again. But as believers, how else do we live. I’m tempted more to believe the lies that God is really not that close and personal, that He is unconcerned. However, Psalm 23 has become a Word for me in this season. The Lord is my Shepherd. That is pretty close and personal. Shepherds have a plan and they know where they are leading the sheep.
Hey Carrie – thanks for stopping by the blog! You guys have defnitely been through some trials the last few years. One cool thing, though, is where I have seen you and Jeff grow through those trials. Listening to you tell your story and where God is taking you is exciting and inspiring – it makes me want to go to Germany with you. I have watched how Jeff was moved into a job he didn’t really seem to like; yet, the experience has really taught him how to do some things that are needed in the next part of the story (things that were not previously his strong suit).
So, yes, I can definitely see how God had a different plan; a plan that did not look like you expected or wanted (or what I would have picked for you) – yet, a plan that will allow God to use you in even bigger ways.
I like the picture of “The Lord is my Shephard”. Thanks for sharing your story and adding to the community.
[…] promoted first?). There is always more to the story that you do not see. Besides, God may have a different plan for […]