A Change of Plans

Would you describe yourself as a planner? Maybe you plan for the day every morning or a week of meals before heading to the grocery store. Perhaps you have planned the details of vacation months in advance or wisely planned for retirement. While having a well-thought-out plan can provide comfort and efficiency, Christians who trust in God must always be willing first to accommodate God’s plan.

God’s plan is always perfect but sometimes hard to see. For example, in the Old Testament, a young Joseph was sold by his brothers, which was certainly not part of Joseph’s plan. Yet, he later declares, “God meant it for good” (Genesis 50:20). In the New Testament, Paul was “deserted” by Mark, which was upsetting to Paul but resulted in Mark and Barnabas venturing out on their own and more people hearing the gospel (Acts 15:38).

No matter how thoroughly we plan, we must remember that God’s plan always comes first. James wrote, “Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that’” (James 4:15). Whether or not we can see or imagine the perfect result, God’s will needs to be at the center of every plan we make, and God needs to part of every plan.

Matt Langfield