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“The Lord’s plans stand firm forever. His intentions can never be shaken.”  Psalm 33:11 (ESV)

Call me old school, but I love my (paper) planner which occupies the same spot on my desk each week.  Without it I’d be totally lost.  And this pen and paper routine starts on Sunday night as I lay out my schedule and work for the upcoming Monday – Friday.  Meetings highlighted.  Birthdays etched in red.  Endless lists of things I plan to do strategically on specific days. Weekly verses to encourage and empower me as each day unfolds.

Now to all those non-planners out there, I know you’re thinking, “is she crazy?”  Sometimes I’m tempted to think the same. Us planners find great satisfaction in marking tasks off our list.  We’ve even been known to add something we’ve just done (which didn’t make the list) for the simple pleasure of marking it off.  Yes we’re a little crazy, but  we do get a lot accomplished.

Despite all our planning, marking, writing and scheduling, life happens.  Meetings get rescheduled.  The urgent in the moment trumps our perfectly written list. Bottom line, our best thought out plans are never guaranteed. Whatever we desire, scheme, plan or write doesn’t always happen exactly the way we want it to happen.

There’s a really great reason why our plans are often derailed – it’s called divine perspective.  Our limited view gives us a narrow angle – a fragmented snapshot.  We only glimpse the outcome through our eyes and usually don’t consider the bigger picture or anyone else involved.

For the believer, it should be quite simple.   If we truly trust God’s infinite wisdom and sovereignty then our derailed plans will be less about us and more about Him.  What disappoints frustrates or leaves us overcome with analysis will be better served if we acknowledge God’s ways are much higher than our own.  He ultimately is the One who directs our steps  (Proverbs 16:9, Proverbs 19:21) – if it’s His will then no one can intervene or alter His plans.

Sweet friends, Psalm 33 offers us great encouragement for those moments when our plans dissolve, when we miss out on an opportunity or we doubt His purposes.    Love the psalmist words echoing the character of our God whose plans for us stand firm forever – that’s a really long time.  His intentions for us can never be shaken – even if they temporarily appear derailed.  Our God is righteous, faithful, just, and His steadfast love is everlasting.  What seems stalled, forgotten or overlooked can be dramatically changed in a moment.  Our God who spoke the whole world into existence is fully capable of orchestrating what serves us best.

“Father, if we could only glimpse our world through your eyes, we would see how perfectly You align all things to accomplish Your purposes.  Help us to trust in Your divine perspective rather than zero in on what we want.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life