For those who have gone to church for a while, you have probably heard the phrase “God’s got a plan for you.” It’s a saying so commonly used that sometimes its hard to believe. Lately, I’ve been struggling to believe that. This week has been one of the most difficult weeks I’ve gone through in a long time. Things aren’t going the way that I want. I keep telling myself that it’s all part of God’s plan for me, but I haven’t trusted in that. Not trusting God in my struggles this week has caused me to make some irrational decisions.

So sure, we hear the phrase all the time. But do we actually believe in that and trust it? 

I know I personally have trouble have trouble trusting His plan because I don’t know what it is. I’m the type of person who likes to have a plan for everything, I’m not much of a spontaneous person when it comes to most things. Knowing what’s going on and knowing what how everything is going to pan out eases my anxiety. There are little to no questions that need to be asked. There’s little room for doubt and it is clear what is going to happen.

God’s plan is nothing like what I just described.

Sure, He’s got one for each and every one of us, but I believe we are never going to really know what that is until it happens. This makes it difficult for me, and many others, to trust His plan. However, in order to have a relationship with God and in order to put our full trust in him, we need to have faith. This doesn’t mean that He’s going to leave us in the dark, though. In order to follow His plan, we need to ask for guidance and then obey His commands.

I find myself asking God for help a lot.

I’ve been taught to work prayer into my everyday life, and I have my parents to thank for that. But some people have trouble with prayer. Some don’t know what to say or how to listen. But in order to follow God’s plan for us, we need to ask for wisdom. He may not tell us exactly what is going to happen, but He will provide us with what we need. He may tell us bluntly what our next step is, or He may tell us something as simple as to be patient. 

What I really struggle with is obeying what He tells me.

Sure, I’m not afraid to ask for help, but when I don’t get an answer that I wanted, I tend to try to take things into my own hands. What I’ve learned throughout life and especially through this week, is that taking matters into my own hands just doesn’t work. God knows what’s best for me. He sees the big picture, and He’s got things planned that I couldn’t even begin to imagine. I, on the other hand, have tunnel vision. I can’t see how things are going to unravel. Things that I think might benefit me could really hurt me. I don’t know anything about the right timing or about what’s best for my life, even though I may at times think I do. 

This week I lost a relationship with a person that made me really happy. The worst part is that I tried to take the situation into my own hands, and didn’t step back and give it to God. I let the situation consume me. I got mad at myself, the other person, and at God. But today I realized that God is going to use this. He’s going to use my mistakes to teach me a lesson. As far as the relationship is concerned, I don’t know what’s going to happen. It may be the timing that’s wrong, or this relationship may not be God’s plan for me at all. I firmly believe that this person was put in my life for a reason, even if it’s for reasons of which I’m not sure. This blog is my way of giving this situation up to God. 

This is something I definitely need to work on.

Now I’m not holding myself to the standards of being “perfect.” I’m going to mess up. There will be days where I’m going to struggle with the idea that I am not in control. But trusting in God’s plan will not only help me grow in my faith, but it will significantly lower my anxiety levels. Giving everything to Him will take the weight off my shoulders. It’s going to be tough accepting that I don’t know what’s best for me, but if I did then I wouldn’t need to put my trust in God.

I’ve learned that asking for help and getting advice is more than okay and that we aren’t meant to do this alone. The saying “God won’t give you more than you can handle” is silly to me because He will, but he isn’t expecting you to carry that load alone. It’s amazing that we have a God that is personal, that we can trust and rely on, and who has a plan for each and every one of us. 

What the Bible has to say about: His plan that He has for us

  • Jeremiah 29:11

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

This is my sister’s baptism verse, and it’s one of my favorites. The Lord explicitly tells us He has a plan for us and that they are good and for our own well being. There is no need to read between the lines or for inference – He makes it as clear as day. Therefore, because the Lord Himself – the one who has never lied to us or forsaken us – tells us this, we should stand firm on this promise. 

  • Proverbs 3:5-6

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

I love love love this verse because there is no area for misinterpretation of this message. As humans we have a tendency to do what we think is best; we commonly choose to “lean on our own understanding” when we are specifically told not to. These few verses also tell us that trusting in Him will lead us in the right direction, and from reading the previous verse (Jeremiah 29:11), we know that His ways are good. 

  • Some other really awesome verses:

  1. Romans 8:28
  2. Proverbs 16:9
  3. Isaiah 58:11

Tip and tidbits about trusting in God’s plan*

  • Ask for help. God is personal and is always listening, and there is no shame in asking for help. Praying, reading the Bible, and confiding in strong christian people in your life are just a few ways you can ask for help. In order to trust and follow God’s plan for our lives, we need to lean on Him and learn more about what He has in store for us.
  • Stop and listen. A lot of people get caught up in asking for things. We continually ask God for things that we want in our lives, but in order to live out a life according to His plan, we need to listen to Him. God is always speaking to us and showing us things, we just have to open up our eyes and ears to what he has to share.
  • Obey His commands. Sometimes it’s hard not to take matters into our own hands. We tend to think we know what’s best for our lives, but the truth of the matter is we don’t. Therefore, we need to let go of our need for control and trust the path on which God will lead us.

 

Love,

Abigail Joy

 

*These tips and tidbits are specific to me and my life. Although they may work for the reader, I am not a professional in this area. These are merely suggestions that God has put in my heart through the study of scripture and through prayer and may or may not work for anyone. 

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