PLANS

Goals, ambitions, hopes, dreams, ideas or intentions, we all have plans.

Some seem fool-proof, some seem unattainable. As we get older, we may feel like our choices narrow, our priorities change, or we accept limitations. Sometimes we give up.

But God doesn’t want us to give up or give in. Be open to redirection. Maybe our answer differs completely from what we first imagined, maybe better.

Perhaps we need to wait to gain more knowledge or experience. Have we found ourselves in the middle of a situation we thought we were ready for but discovered our imaginations and reality don’t quite match up? Are we disappointed because other people don’t act or think as expected?

Do we seek God for solutions or try to manipulate people or circumstances in our way of thinking? Are we flexible to course corrections, able to admit mistakes, and willing to accepting help? At the first hint of trouble, do we abandon everything and give up?

God loves us and wants us to have our heart’s desires, but He also knows what is best. We don’t need to give up on our dreams, but be open to heavenly tweaks in our plans. If we pray, God can help direct our decisions. Look for feelings of peace prevailing over anxiety, signs of things falling into place.

It may not always be easy, but keep going. Even if things get messed up, God promises to be on our side with endless love and grace. If we fall, we get back up and try again. Difficulties are not defeat but experience.

Regardless of whether we are good at math, we can make plans and take calculated risks, and believe God is with us!

The Bible verses for this week are:

Philippians 4:6-7, “Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.”

Romans 8:28, “And we know that all that happens to us is working for our good if we love God and are fitting into his plans.”