I’d made plans, and this was not in them.
I suppose the adage, “The best-laid plans often go awry,” holds true. Our son and his fiancé were coming home for the holidays. I’d planned meals, bought groceries, and cleaned the house. After spending the afternoon cooking a meal fit for a king, I was excited and ready for them to walk through the door. All the food was spread, the dishes were ready, and then my son called. “We’ll be home in a few minutes. I took Jaelle to Pals” (a local favorite hot dog place).
What? I’d made supper. It was served. There was a sudden flare of anger, and then that quickly subsided as I bit my tongue and said, “Well, enjoy. We’ll see you in a bit.” My momma’s heart was a little hurt, but the greater picture was that my son and his gal were home for a visit. We ate without them.
It was Jeremiah’s job to take the messages of God to the people of Israel. They were in bondage in Babylon. At this point, a false prophet, Hananiah, had told them God would free them from Babylon within two years, and many of the people grasped hold of this – but it was a lie. As a result, God removed Hananiah from the earth, and Jeremiah was sent to tell them that God had a plan. They would remain in Babylon for seventy years before being freed. It would be hard, but God’s plan was not immediate. It was long-term.
We often have plans only to have them shot down. The things we plan for right now may come later. God has a plan for our lives. Rarely are His ways immediate for us. Instead, He lays out a life-long plan for our lives. God knows exactly what He has in store for us, and His plans come to fruition in His timing. The hard part for us is learning to trust and wait. When we wait, we discover that God’s plans for us are far greater than we had hoped for in the heat of the moment.
Good things come to those who wait. Besides, God’s ways and plans are well-prepared. Trust in the Lord. His plans are to prosper you, not harm you.
How can you trust God’s best-laid plans?
(Photo courtesy of pixabay and StartupStockPhotos.)
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Cindy K. Sproles is a best-selling, award-winning author. She is a speaker and a conference teacher who teaches nationwide. Cindy is the cofounder of Christian Devotions Ministries, www.christiandevotions.us, and www.inspireafire.com. She serves as a writing mentor with WRAMS (Writing Write Author Mentoring Service) and is the director of the Asheville Christian Writers Conference. Visit Cindy at www.cindysproles.com.