"God never fumbles the ball. If He turns it over to the other side for a few downs, it's because He knows a better way to win." - John Piper
I like having a plan. I especially like the good plans. The kind that took a lot of time and thought and purpose in making. And I love the control I feel when I've put together one of these good plans.
I don't like to see my plans fall apart. I am not particularly fond of unforeseen difficulties that interrupt my good plans. Neither do I enjoy that bitter moment when control slips through my fingers and I am left feeling that my life is at the mercy of someone, or something, else. I don't just not like it. I hate it.
As much as losing control of life's steering wheel can knock me off balance, it seems to happen a lot. I make a plan, and then the plan gets derailed. I used to get all kinds of worried, anxious and ugly when this happened. And even still I can have some pretty heated discussions with God over what I consider the injustice of it all: "Why would you let that happen?" "What was so wrong with my plan? You would have gotten plenty of glory out of it." "Did you really need to allow that detour? Was it really necessary?"
Can you relate?
Have you played 20 Questions with God when your plan fell apart?
This morning I was reminded, once again, that no matter what happens (the good, the bad, or the unexpected), there is absolutely nothing that can interfere with God's purpose for my life. Nothing.
And the same goes for you.
Proverbs 21:30 says: "There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord."
God's plans can not be thwarted. There is no wisdom higher than his wisdom and no insight deeper than his insight. As much as I love to control my start to my finish, I will never put together a plan as perfect as God's. And while I may wrestle with the interruption, I can rest in the knowledge that no matter what happens, it's all under control. His control. There is something reassuring in knowing that nothing can succeed against the Lord.
While releasing our grip from our plans can cause us to feel vulnerable and uncertain, we can trust the one who has it under control. There is no greater joy, and there is no peace as perfect as trusting in the plans of the Lord.
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13