Best Laid Plans - Encouragement Café - September 28, 2016
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Best Laid Plans
By Mary R Snyder
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV
What is that adage about best laid plans? Isn’t it something about going awry?
I was a bit confused about what “awry” means, so I looked it up. It means: out of kilter, twisted, muddled.
That’s me today. I am muddled, twisted and out of kilter.
It seems I just get to the place where I think I have a slight grip on what’s happening in my world and something shifts. Sometimes these shifts feel like a major earthquake and other times they are more like standing at the ocean’s edge as the sand moves under my feet.
Today has been more of an ocean’s edge day – not a serious shift, but one that’s thrown me off balance.
I’ve plotted everything out for the next six months and this latest development isn’t in my plans.
This doesn’t work for me Lord. I can’t do this. I have a family to care for, a book in the works, a job that requires time and travel, a vacation to take, a conference to attend, a Bible study to lead and a life to live.
I want to cry and stomp my feet like a petulant child.
I look at my calendar and consider the next months. Panic sets in! I feel as if I’m crumbling under the load. I take a step back and on the advice of a dear, sweet friend, “just breathe.”
I realize I’m so fast to make plans and lay them out for God to bless.
Okay Lord, here’s the deal – we’re going to do this and then we’ll go there and do that.
Today, He caught my attention. Once again, He made me see that He’s in control and it’s only through Him that I get through each day. It’s only through Him that I can care for a family, write a book, take a vacation, attend a conference and lead a Bible study or anything else.
I don’t function in this world because I’m so together; in fact, without Christ I wouldn’t last an hour without falling down flat on my face.
I don’t know why the sand shifted today but He does.
I do know this – that I find my joy, my strength and my purpose in Him. He is my Rock and my Salvation. It’s in Him that I trust.
So even though the sand has shifted and I’m struggling with this new path, I’m trusting in God. He’s faithful and has brought me this far, I trust that He will handle the rest of this journey.
Has your sand shifted?
If your sand has shifted lately, ocean’s edge or earthquake size, trust God’s plan for your life. Look to Him for direction. Take out your journal (or start a new one) and write out your prayer to God. Seek wisdom from Him and guidance for your next steps.
Then quietly listen as He answers and write that down too.
God thank You for shifting my sand and placing my feet back on Your path. Give me the wisdom to trust Your path for my life and the passion to seek You always. In Jesus’ Precious Name I pray, Amen.
© 2016 by Mary R Snyder. All rights reserved.
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