God’s plan is not in my plan!

When the path suddenly changes do you freak out or trust the plan?

Life is full of twists and turns, some of the changes in our lives are our choice, others are not. Right now, it’s not me that does not seem at peace. People in my life have had car trouble, tech trouble, job trouble, relationship trouble, health struggles, struggles with kids and exes. We know that challenges come, but how do we stay in peace when it’s not on our agenda to deal with any of the aforementioned things?

A friend recently decided to look for a new job because hers was getting out of hand with stress. She found and was offered a new position with a new company. She struggled with quitting and taking a pay cut even though it means less stress and no weekends. Luckily, we had adoration together last week and I encouraged her to walk through the newly opened door. God has a plan. It’s going to work out. She took a leap of faith and resigned. Good choice. There may be some discomfort with her decision but she will see later on that there is a reason. That moment just is not right now.

I have another friend who recently fell down the stairs and got a little banged up in the process. She’s always doing too much i.e. carrying lots of groceries up steep steps all at once, or running to help her parents and kids, she never stops. A few days after she fell, we were talking and I repeated the exact words that she said to me when our roles were reversed last spring. “It’s your bodies way of telling you to stop, rest, slow down.” Her answer? “I have too much to do to rest.” She fought it until the doctor took it out of her hands and ended up getting some much needed rest.

The question is- do you fight the changes or challenges or do you accept them and keep moving? I think I am somewhere in the middle on most days. I can’t see what’s coming and I really don’t want to (ok, maybe sometimes). A recent realization is that the the more we fight whatever it is, the more challenges are put in our way. Me fighting the inevitable instead of working with it or through it actually takes longer. Who wants that?

The challenges that come our way are to helping us grow in the direction we are going, to who we are becoming. They frequently involve lessons we didn’t really want to learn, and situations we don’t want to be in.

Where do you fall on the spectrum when challenge comes? Do you freak out or fight it when things are not going according to your plan? Or do you take it in stride and realize God’s got you right where you are supposed to be? Keep walking, you’ll see it.