God, What's The Plan?

“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” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV).

I adore having my grandson for sleepovers. It’s become one of the most precious times I look forward to on weekends. When Zayne visits, my family understands that I’m no longer an adult with responsibilities and deadlines. Instead, I become an overgrown playmate of an energetic six-year-old boy. We race, play tag, baseball, and hide and seek. Then the evening usually ends with Zayne’s favorite board game of “Sorry,” where I seem to lose to a smack-talking first grader permanently.

Even after the many activities my grandson and I enjoy together, he constantly asks, “Grandma, what’s the plan?” He poses the question as if he’s making sure I haven’t forgotten to weave him into our home schedule. There are other times when I explain the plan, and he responds by saying, “I don’t think that sounds like much fun.”

Regardless, Zayne leaves my home filled with an abundance of rich experiences which will benefit him as he continues to grow and develop. Many of those are experiences he prefers, like the games, especially when he wins. However, he dislikes cleaning up toys and putting things back where they belong. He also doesn’t enjoy reviewing his schoolwork or working on reading and writing. And he hates to lose.

Like my grandson, I too hate losing, and I sometimes ask God, “what’s the plan now?” This may happen when I wonder if God’s forgotten me after a setback or disappointment. It's tough when receiving a rejection from somewhere I thought would’ve said yes. When I enter tough seasons in my life, I tell God, “This is not fun.”

Though we may feel confused and unsure of the circumstances, nothing surprises or thwarts God’s purposes or plans for our lives. Our journey is often plagued with tough lessons, times of review, learning, and rejection. But when we trust God, He will fill our lives with an abundance of rich experiences which will benefit us as we grow and develop in our craft and our walk of faith.

We can serve as a legacy for God’s glory when we trust that He knows His plans to give us hope and a future.

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Father, thank you in advance for empowering me to trust in your plans to prosper me and not harm me. Please fill me with patience and a teachable spirit, knowing that you have my future in your perfect plan. Shape me into the person you need me to be. Please help me through the seasons of discouragement and fill me with faith equipping me for each season. Amen.

Your turn: Have you ever struggled with trusting God with your life, plans, and dreams? Why? Is there a story you could share to encourage others?