21We may make a lot of plans,
but the LORD will do
what he has decided. Proverbs 19 CEV
How many times have you made plans in your head, gotten your heart set on those plans, saw those plans fall to pieces, and then looked back on it later and realized they weren’t the Lord’s plans and that you are glad they didn’t come to fruition? For me, this has happened so many times…jobs that I didn’t get, awards I didn’t receive, a girl that I didn’t marry (one I dated in high school), being a millionaire and a famous professional sports athlete, etc.
A few years ago, I learned a technique that has helped me to not get my heart so set on my own plans but to have my heart open to the Father’s plans. I’m sure you’ve heard The Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13, and you’ve probably prayed it in church or somewhere else. Years ago, I began praying this prayer in my own words at least once per day. The second part of the prayer goes like this: “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). When I pray this verse in my own words to the Lord, I talk to him about my circumstances.
For example, this next week I’m starting a new summer mission project where students will be coming to Charleston from around the country to work and serve in the community for the whole summer. Now sure, my plan would be that the project would go smoothly, that everyone would have the summers of their lives and that the entire community would be impacted. However, there’s a good chance that God’s plan is that this project will not go smoothly, that there will be many challenges and that we will persevere only bytrusting in the Lord. So that’s what I pray to God: “Lord, I don’t know your plans for this summer project. I do ask you to guide us through the little details and help everything run smoothly. However, I also acknowledge that you are sovereign, completely in control. If some things don’t go as we plan them this summer, I pray you will use the circumstances to teach us to trust in you. I pray you will transform our lives.”
My challenge for you today is to learn to pray as the Lord taught us to pray in Matthew 6:10: “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.“ Give God your circumstances, and trust that his plans are so much better than ours. When we have this attitude, we see trials in our lives as opportunties to grow and know Christ better rather than as failures. We begin to trust God more.
(with thanks to Chad Young)
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