11 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. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, Jeremiah 29:11-14 (New International Version)
I have been frustrated lately by plans. The ineffectiveness of my plans, the impact of other people’s plans on me and the seemingly lack of control that I might have in the goings on around me. The toll of daily life can distract you from the fact that God does have a plan for you and he will use you.
Over this past weekend, while I continued to be in a stupor about my plans, I received an email from a good friend from work. I had been wondering why he was not on line Friday, as we had some items were where debating and I was searching for him via instant message. Well, turns out he had had a heart attack on Thursday afternoon, and subsequently underwent major heart surgery on Monday. And then there’s Monday. On Monday morning, I awoke to the news about a teenager who had a diving accident over the weekend and was potentially paralyzed. A few hours later I would discover that I knew this family.
WOW, so as this week has continued, I thought about how immediately and urgently their plans had been changed. Then there’s a third friend in her thirties who had a heart attack last month. (Ok, it does seem that I am getting old – so and so is sick, so and so broke a hip, etc., I promise this blog will not turn into the gore report)
But seriously, these events were not in their plans – BELIEVE ME! So how do we rationalize the verse in Jeremiah in fewer than 400 words? Well, this week I have been trying to realize that God’s plan for us may not be as clear as “Go here and to this for 2 days and then go here and do that for 2 weeks, and then spend a year in this city”. I think God’s plan for us is worked out in the mundane, normal, drama filled life. God’s plan for the dude I mentioned yesterday is not nearly what he thought it might be. God’s plan for the three individual’s above may be a little cloudy at the moment. The same may go for you and me. But the cool thing is there is a promise, if you seek me, I will be found.
Today, let God work in your life, instead of working God into your life. Give him your heart.
(That’s just less than 500 words, what do you think?)
