Are the plans changing again?

 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. (Jeremiah 29:11-13)

There are seasons in our lives where 'planning' is just not possible. We call those crisis times. In those moments, we react to the current needs, forgetting all about plans we may have made or plans we'd like to make. Why? Our attention is required in the present moment. It is good to know that even when we are not able to 'plan' or 'work the plan' we have made, God remains fully in control of our lives. His plan is being worked, even when ours may have had to go on hold for a bit!

As we move from crisis moment to 'normal routine' again, we may assume the plans we had made, but it is quite possible our plans were altered by the crisis. Why? The crisis made something clearer, rearranged our priorities, created a sense of need within us, drew us closer together, or just challenged us in some way to get out of the rut we had begun to dig. Plans are good, but don't always count on them to remain consistent!

If we want to always be in tune with what God has planned for us, we need to be asking him what he has planned. There is great wisdom in admitting our own plans aren't always working out as we 'planned'. There is also great wisdom in 'checking in' with God to be sure our 'plans' are the right ones for the season we are in. The sad truth is we don't always consult him to see if they need a bit of change. We assume once they were laid out, they'd remain the same. As we make steps forward, we encounter things we didn't expect to face. What we do in those moments is important.

When we stop, ask, and then listen, do you know what God does? He listens and responds! He either tells us our plans are spot on, or he shows us where they need adjustment. Either way, it is because we asked and then paid close attention to what he said. We might just find 'our plans' begin to align a bit closer to God's plans for us when we actually follow these steps! Just sayin!