The past few weeks have not gone as planned for me. Dang hurricanes. Reading that you may think, “Man, how was she affected?” I really wasn’t. I have power, food, a dry house, all my possessions are intact and everyone I love is safe. So, why am I whining? I’m throwing a pity party because my kids have been out of school. I lost power for a few hours. I’ve had to help friends and family and even those I don’t know which has taken time. I’m just being honest. Some people are awesome at throwing out plans and living in the moment. A need comes along and they happily serve. Kids are out of school and they are excited about spending time together as a family. They are able to throw caution to the wind and be spontaneous. Those people are not me.
I want to be one of those people, but that’s not how I’m wired. I concoct plans in my mind and if those plans don’t work out; I get in a funk. When school started a few weeks ago, I was so excited. I had all these grandiose plans. I was going to write constantly, be incredibly productive and get things done. But, that’s not really how things have gone down. In reality, it’s been one distraction after another. Sick kids, house issues, hurricanes, friends and family in need, no school and on and on and on the list goes.
Let’s just get real for a moment. I struggle with contentment. Oh sure, I’m content when my plans are coming to fruition, the stars align and everyone is on their best behavior. Man! Then I can get the work done. I can be productive. I can do what it is God is calling me to do. I feel set and at peace. But, the SECOND things don’t go as planned, I feel defeated and think, “Oh well, there goes the day. Guess this day is going to stink. Maybe another day I’ll get it done.”
And, as He so gently and lovingly does, God spoke to me through His Word this morning to reveal what was wrong with my perspective. He reminded me:
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9 (ESV)
“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” Proverbs 19:21 (ESV)
Oops. Yeah, my perspective is all wrong. Not that it’s wrong to have plans. It’s not. But, the problem comes in when we don’t hold the plans loosely, when we cling to them so tightly that we can’t see what God might be doing instead.
I had big plans for the last few weeks. And, you know what? They were MY plans. Not God’s. Sometimes those two things line up and sometimes they don’t. When they do, great. But, when they don’t, I should not have such a tight grip on mine that I can’t see God’s. My problem is not the devising of plans, the problem is my resistance in giving them up when they don’t line up with God’s.
I’m grateful that God’s mercies are new every morning. I’m grateful that He sees me, knows me and loves me enough to correct me when needed. I pray today that I would keep my hands open and hold my plans loosely, knowing that His ways are higher than mine and living in His moment and not mine, is the best plan of all.
Extraordinary Treasure, Ordinary Girl 