My Plans vs. God's Plans
- notpopular110
- Sep 12, 2017
- 2 min read
I get stressed, I get overwhelmed, but I think the most prominent feeling for me is anxiety. I’m a busy person and that’s how I like it. I like planning out my week on Sunday and following it perfectly; scheduling school, work, travel, sleep, free time, and meals.
While having everything scheduled puts me at ease it also distracts me from my anxiety. My anxiety isn’t necessarily bad, its definitely not crippling, just a feeling of unrest, that I could be doing more, or am doing too much, or don’t know what I’m doing at all. Lately, thinking about applying to internships, has been causing me a lot of anxiety. I often think of Matthew 6:34 (Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.) which makes me frustrated because I HAVE to think about tomorrow. I have to have a plan of what I’m doing next summer, and then how I am going to get a job the summer after that. As you can probably tell I like having a plan, I like knowing what is going to happen, I like knowing where my future is taking me. But as I’m sure you also know, we often don’t have the luxury of knowing what God is doing with our future.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
It’s hard to trust in God when you think you have everything in control. I plan my days so that I don’t have to trust in anyone, I don’t let anyone mess up a planned outing, I don’t let anyone tell me what to do… except for God that is. He is the ultimate planner. His ways weave you in and out of opportunities, relationships, and lessons. He knows what each of us is doing with our future. He knows what we want but he chooses what is best for us.
Philippians 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
It’s hard for me to admit my plans are insufficient compared to God’s. It’s hard to put all my anxiety on Christ. But it was much harder for Christ to put himself on that cross for us. It was much harder for him to obey the Father’s plan for his life. It was much harder for him to give up himself for us; so that we could live. When I put my trust in Christ he gives me the peace that I do not deserve. He gives me rest. All the plans that are accomplished in my life are from him. He gave his life so that I could have mine.
Isaiah 26:12
LORD, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us.