His is Always Better
Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand. Proverbs 19:21
The plans had to be changed at the last minute.
It was a missions trip that our daughter’s friend was looking forward to for months. Going to a country she had always wanted to go to and doing ministry with children; her dream work.
The week before the group was to leave, there was unrest in the country and the leaders were told not to come.
Rather than cancel completely, a resourceful leader looked for another place to serve. There was plenty of need and the plans were rearranged quickly.
When our daughter came home and told us about this change of plans, I felt so sorry for her friend who had been planning to go. She had excitedly talked about it most of the school year. It was early March when the plans got changed.
As my daughter reported the change I said how sorry I was for her friend. The way she had excitedly talked about the trip most of the year made me understand she would be disappointed.
“No, Mom!” was our daughter’s immediate response. “She said she was really excited because when God changes your plans you know it is going to be better!”
It was immediately clear that this was true and that this 17 year old, high school junior had a very mature faith. What a great attitude and understanding of the goodness of God and His protection of His people.
This truth has come back to me repeatedly, reminding me that change is not bad. God is sovereign. God is good. He is always looking out for the good of His people. Nothing is going to happen where we are going that He is unaware of.
The fact that He would keep us from going someplace is a gift, a reward for our faith.
The amazing thing is that this does not have to be a truth we only apply to some great missions trip being planned by church leaders. If we are planning a day of grocery shopping and errands and get interrupted before we ever leave the house or at our first stop…is God sovereign over such minor details?
If we are ready to spend a day writing or working on the computer and it crashes before our very eyes, could God have another plan for our day (or some portion of it)? What kind of attitude do we show others on that day?
There are so many minor disturbances in our days, I remember one day asking my husband how his day had gone. He answered me, “Today, my interruptions got interrupted!”
Will we honor God in every interruption of our plans to welcome His new plan? I pray we would all adopt the faith of this 17 year old girl. “When God changes our plans, it’s always better.”
I’m glad I waited to read this until today! I was just trying to talk myself down from a boiling temperature! Now I can look at this interruption to my plans as a better option!
I’m so blessed by your blog. Even when circumstances don’t go the way I want them to, such as my recent breakup, I must trust that God’s ways are better than mine. Thank you!
Oh Linda, I love God’s timing! May He be praised for the interruption! Hopefully you will see the good soon.
It does me good to know you are blessed, Candice. May Christ be praised!
I read your blog today and was thanking God for opening your eyes and showing you truth. It sounds like you have had experience with this before and know the heartaches. Our Father has definitely protected you.
God’s ways are so much better. I can only imagine how many times I have struggled with something that God already had a solution for but I did not know because I did not ask. We miss out so much by trying to fix it all ourselves.
It is SO hard to surrender to God’s way sometimes, but you are right: His way is ALWAYS better, and the sooner I realize that in any situation, the easier things get. Thank you! Great blog, Beth.
Awesome post Sister and such great reminders about God having our backs and plans changing on a dime.. Ministry will do that to a person especially if we are willing vessels and stay opened for what the Lord has planned. God Bless
Thank you Stephen, What a privilege we have to serve such a great God!
Jessica, His faithfulness should show us how good He is. What a gift this young girl had to understand this truth so early in life!
Yes, Yvonne, His ways are better! May He remind us of that every time He changes our plans!
Such a good blog. And convicting: the day my computer crashed, I have to confess I’m ashamed of my attitude that day!
You are so right! That young teen showed amazing maturity of faith. This often takes us decades to learn as we struggle and complain about those “interruptions,” which are actually God’s plan for our day. He leads. We follow. Why is this so hard for us task-oriented folks to learn? Thankfully, God tears us away from our brokenness and begins to build reliance upon him.
Yes, Melinda, It is reliance on Him that He grows in us with His faithfulness! What a Savior!
Ava, I always consider conviction a good thing (I know you know it is, too!). When the Lord is working, we grow. But when we confess our sins…He cleanses us from ALL unrighteousness! Hopefully, we will all adjust our attitudes about interruptions. For some reason computers are the hardest!
Hey Beth, what a wonderful response and perspective from your daughter’s friend. We can all learn from her reminding us when God changes our plans, it’s going to be better. Change can be good, especially when it is orchestrated by our good, good Father.
Amen, Karen! Thanks for commenting.