GOD’S PLANS (part-14)

NOBODY PLANS TO FAIL, BUT OUR OWN PLANS CAN FAIL US

BIBLE PASSAGE:
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD,
“plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give
you hope and a future.”
(Jeremiah 29:11)

MEDITATION:
There can be times when planning is a difficult task, right? Sometimes
we feel confident that everything has been accounted for, but there are
other times when we have an uneasy feeling that something has been
left out. Planning requires an assessment of our resources and abilities,
and figuring out how they will help us to be successful with our plans.

Of course, God is the ultimate planner for us. He sees everything from
beginning to end and will omit nothing. He knows the talents, abilities,
and spiritual gifts He has given us, so He knows what we are capable of
accomplishing. We may not even realize our own potential, but He does.

But there is a glaring concern we should have.
    What if we have a feeling that God does not have plans for us?
It would be devastating for us to think God doesn’t want to use us for
anything, wouldn’t it? Any feelings of worthlessness we might already
have would be greatly magnified.

What could we possibly look forward to in the life we are living now
if God doesn’t have any purpose for us to fulfill? Imagine how we
would be missing out on the anticipation and excitement of serving
our Creator. Without ‘connecting’ with the Lord, how could we expect
to experience and enjoy His blessings? We could have many questions
if we felt that God didn’t have a plan for us.

ACTION:
We know that Satan wants to discourage us in every way possible.
But we should use God’s Word as a weapon to drive him out of our
minds. The evil one would love for us to believe that God doesn’t
care about us. However, we know from the scripture in Jeremiah,
that God absolutely does care about us; He cares enough to include
us in His plans.

God had plans for Jeremiah to become a ‘prophet to the nations’.
    “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
      before you were born I set you apart; I appointed
      you as a prophet to the nations.”
      (Jeremiah 1:5)

What a daunting task for a young teenager to wrap his mind around.
How could he possibly be a prophet to those who were mostly older
than him? However, although the challenge was steep for Jeremiah,
he picked up the gauntlet from God and trusted that He would provide
everything needed for success in following God’s plan for his life.

Before we were born, God knew us and He had plans for us too. The
question we must ask is,
    “What will I do with His plans for me?”

The scriptures tell us if we are to understand His plans, we need to
commit our life to the Lord.
    Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
    and he will establish your plans.
    (Proverbs 16:3)

That means that we are willing to say,
    “Lord I want to do what You want me to do
      no matter how insurmountable it may seem to me”.

We may choose to ignore His plans for us and map out our own way.
However, if we want to be successful and have a real purpose in life,
then we need to follow His plans for us.
    Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
    but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.
    (Proverbs 19:21)

Our own plans may be subject to flaws and fall apart due to our
mistakes, but we can have complete assurance that the Lord’s
plans for us will have no flaws, and anytime we fall, we are
assured that He will be there to pick us up.
    But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever,
    the purposes of his heart through all generations.
    (Psalm 33:11)

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for having plans especially selected
for me. Help me to know Your plans for me and to diligently pursue
them with full confidence and trust in You. Whenever discouragement
comes, remind me that Your Word assures me Your plans for me will
never fail. Create in me a curiosity and an excitement to discover Your
plans for me, and a desire that looks forward to being used by You, my
Heavenly Father!”

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