Sometimes God says no. It happens all the time, yet it’s something that we Christians struggle with our whole lives. There are so many circumstances that we think we want and think we need in our lives, yet often it doesn't work out. Then we’re left wondering why. Maybe it was a job, a relationship or a grade. Something you thought you were going to receive or something you thought would last, but by some fluke, it didn’t work out. Then we’re angry. We feel like our prayers weren’t answered or that we were misled. We revisit Matthew 7:7 and think “I was seeking, I was asking, but it wasn’t given to me.” We’re left feeling confused and unsure because we have nothing to show for all of our hard work.
We have a certain way we believe events should go in our lives and we’re going to do all we can to get ourselves there. But we’re sinful human beings, and the reality is that our plans often don’t line up with the plans God has for us. Proverbs 16:9 tells us that “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” Sometimes God will lead our steps far from that course we’ve charted, which is frustrating to us. In our minds (and often other people’s) we’ve failed. We struggle to see God’s purpose amid the confusion. But God is always with us directing our steps. Sometimes he just says no to our plan.
So how do you cope? You can understand that that wasn’t the right place for you, but moving forward is often the hardest part. But God has a plan “to prosper and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” He tells us that “...you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:11-13).
Often therein lies our error. We weren’t seeking God with our whole heart. We were merely seeking for God to fulfill our personal plans for our lives. But God’s plan will always prevail, and His plan for our life is much more fulfilling than anything our human minds can design. “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesian’s 2:10). No matter how much pain it causes when God derails our plan, it is always for the best. Fulfillment of our plan will only cause us temporary joy. But if we search for God with our whole heart we will follow His plan and know Him. And that is the greatest joy of all.
