Whenever we are going to a vacation or a fun place, I usually just tell my children about it when we are already there and will surely get to go to that place. Apart from surprising them, informing them just at the right time will prevent unnecessary stress due to endless questions. It also gives me leeway in case plans change.
You see children are not as understanding as adults once their expectations have been set, and since plans can change for various reasons, I have learned that informing them about the outing on a need to know basis is best.
As followers of Jesus, it may also be best to adapt the same attitude towards our life plans. While it is good to have a goal or a plan, we must not hold on to it too tightly because God’s plan is supreme, and whether we like it or not, it will prevail.
“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” Proverbs 19:21
And so the best recourse is to trust in His divine wisdom. He is omniscient, and He has mapped out our lives long before we have been conceived.
“Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!” Psalm 139:16-17
One of the reasons we lose hope is that we do not have full trust in God’s plans and promises for our lives. What we do not know is that even before we surrendered our life to Him, He already gave His all to us.
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
Having said this, what then should be our reason to lose hope? In spite of adversity, in spite of challenges and the inevitable difficulties in our life, we should remain secure because of the presence of the Lord in our lives. We may be going through fire, or almost drowning in deep waters, but if we have faith that He will allow us to endure because He has the best plans for us, we will emerge victorious.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
When we feel lost, all we have to do is to seek Him. We may not know what will happen next or in the foreseeable future, but if we are faithful enough to long, to seek, and to enjoy His presence, He will deliver us. His best plans for our life will prevail.
“And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
In the end, our identity in Christ should be the anchor of our lives. It should be the rock-solid foundation that keeps us from being shaken in fear, regrets, disappointments, anxieties, depression and hatred. Yes we are in a need to know basis, but that should not take away our hope, When we are grounded in Christ, we have the assurance that no matter what happens we have fellowship with the Lord while on our earthly journey and then towards eternity.
“But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are His house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.” Hebrews 3:6
For now, the best way to rest secure in God’s plans and promises for our life is to try to know him more. When we have intentional daily prayer time, read and reflect on the bible everyday, we get to know more about our Heavenly Father. When we consistently attend bible study, and be attentive during mass or worship services, we get to widen our knowledge about the Lord. And as we grow in our knowledge of Him and His character, we will get to love and trust Him more.
Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Psalm 139 to dig deeper on today’s topic.
Reflection Question: In which areas do you struggle to trust in the Lord? How do you plan to increase your hope and confidence in Him?
Conversation with the Lord: Heavenly Father, thank you for being the master planner of my life. Please grant me the grace to be confident in the direction you have set for my life, especially when I am struggling, and facing difficulties. I know that you truly love me, and so please help me to fully trust in You. Amen.
