Let's just start off with saying that being a Christian is definitely not easy.We all are reassured all the time that God has a plan for us. Even though this can be reassuring it can also be extremely stressful. I like knowing that my God has laid out a life before me. That I know where I am headed is in His plan. But it can be hard to make decisions with that in mind. I want my life to be what He wants for me but how do I get there? What if I want something that the Lord does not want for me? I think we all have these questions more than once a day, especially if you’re in college like me. Everything has to be planned. You start a semester and are already planning the next. Your major, career and future are all to be decided when you’re 20. How can I know what the Lord wants for my life at 40, much less 20 years old? And if I’m being honest most of us are so busy trying to decide all of this for ourselves that we forget to stop and actually ask him what he wants for us. We try to figure out his plan without his help. So many times I have left God out of my decisions, as many of us do.
What is crazy about this is that my plans for my life are probably so much less than those he has for me. Just as it says in Jeremiah 29, the lord has plans for us to do big things. And he has done this so that we have a hope for what’s ahead. Why would I want anything other than what the God of the universe wants for me?
Well, it's simple. I think I know what I need. So do you. But……
Jesus knows us. He really knows us. I would even say he knows us better than we know ourselves. He crafted our hearts and minds with his own hands. He has a plan that far exceeds our own because he has already seen it. God's plan will always be more fulfilling than the one that our narrow minds can create. Letting go can be difficult, but it will be the best decision you can make. I know from personal experience that planning your own life without his input can be dangerous. I had a life in mind for myself and I gave it all I had. In the end, I was left broken because I put my plan above everything. Never once did I ask God if that’s what he really wanted for me. So when it wasn’t I was left broken and shattered. It’s a good thing I had a loving father to run back to, but don’t wait until then. Start praying for his will in your life now.
In James 1:5 it says “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all, and it will be given to you.” All we have to do is ask him.
We think what we know or have now is best, but what if giving that up will lead to something better. Just because it’s a good thing, doesn’t mean it’s a god thing. Giving up is scary, but we just have to. It’s about trust. Not trusting God is a sin. Sorry to burst your bubble if you didn’t know. But not trusting him means that you don’t believe that he is the God he proclaims to be. Worrying is a sin. Let him take it all from you.
The good thing is He doesn’t leave us completely in the dark. Would you believe me if I said I know what His plan is for your life? Because He tells you in His word.
He says that his plan for us is to glorify him in all we do and to make disciples. I know that this doesn’t answer the specifics. I’m sorry but he doesn’t tell you exactly what college, major, or boyfriend to pick. But he does give you a hint. Do what brings him glory. Is what you’re doing bringing him glory? If it’s a yes, then he his happy. If we submit to him, we will always be headed in the right direction.
The details will always work themselves out if you keep your eyes on Jesus. His plan for you will always overcome. That’s what you can rest in.
So I will leave you with one last verse. One of my favorites in the entire bible: “Many are the plans of a man’s heart, but it is the Lords purpose that prevails.”
