Can I Surrender to God's Plan When God's Plan Is Not My Own?
“They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting the Lord.”
Psalm 112:7 (NIV)
As women, we're often known for having plans and agendas. We like to step into the day (week, month, or even year), knowing what's ahead. We schedule and orchestrate the visions and endeavors of our families, careers, homes, health, faith, and more. And we often fill our hearts with goals, dreams, and ambitions regarding each of these life aspects. God certainly gifted us with skill in the planning department.
But what happens when the plans we make fall through?
What happens when we lose the job, or the money doesn't come? What happens when our children make decisions that don't reflect our parenting or when we're hurt in our relationships? What happens when we hear the diagnosis or lose a precious loved one? What happens when the plans we've spent years trying to piece together seem to crumble within an instant?
For the last 11 years, most of my "what happens moments" have revolved around my son, Cash. It's been this way for 11 years because that's when Cash was born with an incredibly rare condition called 21 Q Deletion Syndrome. There are only around 60 documented cases of Cash's disorder worldwide, so we have limited information on what to expect regarding his health in the future. At this point, he has epilepsy, many severe gastrointestinal issues, muscle weakness, and much more. Cash's health has been a continual battle that I've suited up for time and time again. His "what happens moments" aren't ever going away in this lifetime. These battles have shattered my heart repeatedly, but each time, God has been there to put the broken pieces back together more beautifully than they were ever arranged before. He has used these moments to reveal Himself to me in such intimate ways. Our entire family has learned firsthand that tremendous pain can build tremendous faith - and to us, that's been worth every moment of the fight.
People in life might tell us that if we follow God, our lives will be perfect and beautiful in every way. I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but this information is entirely bogus. In fact, everything I know from the Bible and everything I have experienced in my own life has taught me differently. Plans can fail, and life can feel uncertain - at times even devastating. But I have also learned that pain and joy can coexist, and the joy that God can bring far outweighs the pain. No matter how grand and beautiful our failed plans may have seemed, His plans will always be better.
Having bold faith isn't believing that God will answer our every prayer. Having bold faith is trusting Him even when He doesn't.
The Bible is full of people who encountered difficulty or whose intentions went awry. These people took on painful hardships and challenges, which seemed incredibly unfair or even wrong. But in their struggles, they clung to God, their faith was strengthened, and God used them to strengthen the faith of others - even us, as we read their stories. Friend, you and I are no different. If we rely on Him, He will never waste our pain.
I think of Paul, Job, Esther, Joseph, Abraham, Leah, the woman with the issue of blood, and so many more. But most of all, I think of Jesus.
I think of the deep distress Jesus experienced as He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. The Bible tells us that in these moments, Jesus was grieved to the point of death, and His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. Jesus knew that He would be arrested, scourged, beaten, and left to die an excruciating death - but much worse than that, Jesus knew that He would be separated from God. Jesus was perfect, pure, and holy in every way, so He had never known anything other than complete oneness with His Father. But as He prepared to take on the sin and darkness of this entire world, He understood that our sin would separate Him from His Father. It was almost as if the words He would cry out on the cross, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" echoed through His mind in advance as He felt the detachment drawing near.
As Jesus prayed, He asked God three times to take this cup from Him, but each time, He concluded His prayer by saying, "Not my will, but yours be done." What a beautiful example of prayer Jesus left us with, and what a comfort to know we can approach God with our hearts exposed. We can let Him know if our burdens feel too heavy, but above all, we can surrender to His will over our own. I think that's all He really wants from us - to trust in Him.
I'm not sure what you might be facing today. I don't know how your plans may have folded along the way, but I know we have a God who will help us through it. We can trust that His plans are better than our own. Jesus knew that God had a goal and a purpose for Him that would change the scope of eternity for us. And He knew that God's plan was better, no matter how painful it would be.
Often, when God doesn’t change our situations it’s because He’s trying to situate our hearts.
God wants to strengthen our faith. He wants to teach us endurance. We have taken a giant leap in spiritual maturity when we learn to surrender the most vulnerable aspects of our lives to His plan. And no matter what the outcome might be, if we're clinging tightly to Him - like Jesus, we'll persevere through it. We can trust Him with the things that matter most to us, knowing He won't waste one single moment of our pain. And we can have comfort in understanding that sometimes He might take us apart entirely, only so He can build us back stronger and sturdier than we ever were before. So, sweet friend, whatever your heart might be praying for today, I challenge you to conclude the words of your precious prayers the way that our faithful Jesus did, saying, "Not my will, Father, but yours be done."