Your Choice Won’t Change God’s Good Plan - The Crosswalk Devotional - April 24
Your Choice Won’t Change God’s Good Plan
By Keri Eichberger
Bible Reading:
The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. (Psalm 33:10-11)
I wasn't necessarily even looking for a job. But the opportunity kept randomly bursting into my thoughts for some odd reason. It seemed so bizarre that I never spoke a word of it to anyone. My husband would have been my first friend to share the strange promptings, but I was certain he would look at me sideways, laugh it off, and say how super off the wall the notion was. Nonetheless, it popped up again about an hour after my regular morning prayer time of seeking God's will for my day and life. And I had to let it spill. I told Mike I almost didn't say a word about this absurd idea, except that in some strange way, this crazy thought reminded me of my initial series of promptings before God called me to have my last baby-turned-twins. And considering the divine way that worked out, the resemblance of stirrings and signals got my attention. The crazier part was what followed my confession. Mike didn't think I’d lost my mind—like he may have when I first announced God's call to a baby—but he was intrigued instead. And before I knew it, he was encouraging me to inquire.
I knew the drill from here—many prayers would have to follow. But in the end, though the promptings were still strong, I wasn't sure. Determining whether or not to have a baby, I had as much time as I wanted to discern and decide. But in this case, the job opening would close in a couple of days, so I had to apply ASAP. I begged God to be clear about what to do. On the one hand, this undertaking didn't seem to fit my plans and current conditions. But on the other hand, the desire to do it anyway remained.
Have you ever noticed a nudge or strong desire to do something that, in many ways, made no sense? Or have you asked God to be clear if you should or shouldn't, and the desire neither deepened nor dimmed? And maybe you felt you didn't have time to sit and wait for more cues and clues like me.
I have to say, it's in these difficult decisions that I am so thankful for God's word. My husband told me the other day he’d recently heard a speaker say, “If you want to hear the audible voice of God, open your Bible and read it aloud.” And I loved this because I was certainly in need of God’s prompt audible instruction.
In light of that suggestion, if you need confirmation from God on a decision, here is a verse you may need to read out loud with me that came straight from my devotion the following morning. Psalm 33:10 says, “The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.” Now, truth be told, before I actually applied this specifically to my situation, I had to look up the exact definition of foil and thwart. Google tells me that “foil” means to prevent something (considered wrong or undesirable) from succeeding, and similarly, “thwart” means to prevent someone from accomplishing something. Relating these definitions to the verse, God is telling me that if I am truly unsure, it’s unnecessary to stress and mull over my choice for long because if whatever I decide is not in line with God's plan, he won't allow it to happen anyway. He will foil and thwart my plan. So I can move forward following the promptings—and in peace. And so I applied for the job. I obediently took a step in faith. And so can you.
Intersecting Faith and Life:
If you are wholeheartedly asking God what he wants and wholeheartedly ultimately wanting what he wants, you can follow where he's steering your spirit. And with confidence. Because of the verse in Psalm 33 that follows. Which says, “But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.” You may have no idea where your choice will take you, just like I’m unsure where my recent decision will lead me. But I do know that we can and should act in obedience toward where God is calling, because our choices–as Christians who remain in him–won’t change God’s ultimate plan or move us outside of his purpose. Because, friend, God's good and prosperous plan for your life and all those who love him will always prevail.
Photo Credit: © Getty Images/Bychykhin_Olexandr
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