by Meredith Berger
There are times we reflect back on, in which we thought we knew best, when, in fact God’s plan was much better than our own. Situations where we perhaps inserted ourselves, confident we were right, only to find the Lord saw us somewhere else.
Recently, my friend experienced this with a girl he was interested in. He pictured her as his future, and wanted so badly to be with her, but she didn’t feel the same way. While he pushed back a bit, he eventually accepted that fact and worked tirelessly in his friendship with her to show his love in a different way. His powerful friendship was the exact support she needed, and brought her closer to him and to God. What we are meant to do and what we want to do don’t always coincide, and as difficult as accepting that is, the Lord has a plan for us.
In Jeremiah 29:11 He says, “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
God is more powerful than we can possibly comprehend. He created this Universe, and therefore isn’t restricted to the boundaries of this World, a World which we still only partially understand.
Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and he will make your paths straight.”
I was evaluating an opportunity at work, one that I eventually was very excited about, but at first was hesitant to consider. I asked those closest to me for advice and received varying opinions. I was torn internally. I prayed, and without directly answering me, God helped guide my heart and my mind. There are times when the Lord uses people in our life to deliver His message. A poignant conversation with a mentor the following day suddenly put everything into perspective and my anxiety subsided almost immediately. Proverbs 19:21 reminds us that, “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.” In that moment, I felt I understood the purpose, which had been unclear to me until that point.
Whether it’s our career trajectory, our relationships, or a move to a new city, God has a plan. So we can ask our friends and family “is what I’m doing right?!?” but, of course, no one can answer that for us! Pray for guidance and be open to altering courses. There are times when we inevitably take wrong turns and make mistakes since we as humans think we know best. As long as we seek His Will though, He will give us the grace we need to get back on track.
Romans 12:2 tells us to transform and renew our minds as we work through our decisions and dilemmas, and that through prayer and the Spirit’s guidance in our problem-solving, we can eventually “discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect,” His perfect plan for us.
