Making Plans

Are you making plans? For dinner, for the weekend, a vacation, a job change? Chances are good that if you're a woman, you've got a plan. The money I've invested in planners, calendars and organizers is evidence of my own desire to control plan my life. Some days are filled with happy check marks, lists I conquered like a boss, and family outings that went off without a hitch. But not all days are created equal.Here's what I know about plans. None are guaranteed. When you consider that, you may feel both relief and angst.

Should I even Plan at all?

I'll be the first to admit that some of my plans would have actually changed the course of my life for the worse had they succeeded. And there are dreams in my heart that seemed so perfect I still question, "why not, Lord? Why didn't you bless those plans?" (like my expectations for my children)So where does that leave us and our beautifully calendared days, bullet journals, and to-do lists? What about our goals and action plans, our vision boards and Pinterest boards? What of our hopes for our children, plans for our retirement , and our dream vacation? Do we stick our aspirations on a shelf? Do we chunk it all to sit and wait for the Spirit to move us?

perspective

I hear the gentle whisper of the Lord telling me, "just hold it all loosely, Marianna."Telling you that life doesn't always go as we plan is not the point. If you've lived a minute, you've figured that one out already. Did I hear someone just say, "Sister, it NEVER goes like I plan!"?  That may seem true for you, but stay with me.Here is what I keep forgetting; God is not impressed with my plans. He wants me to join him in his.I'll be honest and admit to pouting and complaining when things don't go my way. When my day is interrupted by a flat tire or my vacation is hijacked by a broken foot, my cuss is tested. When my little train jumps the tracks and it's all a mess, and I fall apart or explode, it's because I was hanging on too tightly.

It's all his

I believe it's the greatest challenge we face in life is acknowledging that it's all God's and then choosing to live out of that truth. All of it is His- the air we breathe, the cars we drive, the blessings we enjoy, our gift and talents. We have been made stewards of lives that are a part of something far greater- His Kingdom. He's already done the planning. The fact that he has invited us to join him is called grace.And if it all belongs to him and he has a plan that would mean he's in control. He's got this. Let that sink into your tired mind and soul. Someone else is holding this whole thing together; so take a deep breath. It's not up to you, but you play a part, a unique and beautiful part.

Your Part

A sweet mentor of mine told me that she always prayed to ask God to write her to-do list each day. Her heart was to join Jesus in His plans.This is where your unique and beautiful part comes into play. Within God's grand design, he created you on purpose for a purpose. He wants to use you- all of you- even your painful past, to reach this world with his good news.Girls, it's all in the pronoun. (School just started so some grammar seems appropriate.) His plans or my plans.One thing I have found to be true is that if God wants to use me to reach the world for him, he might need to make a few tweaks. There are some rough edges that still need sanding down. I need a little more empathy and a little less pride. This is when God allows hard things to come into my life to shape me.I have never walked through a more emotionally tough season, yet there is not one part of it that God wants to waste. He will use my grief, my disappointment, my exhaustion, and my questions.I have two choices when my plans are interrupted, postponed, denied, or derailed. I can sit in my anger, disappointment, and self-pity or I can bring it to Jesus as an offering. "How do you want to use this in my life?"Does Jesus want us to set goals and plan and dream? Yes! He wants us to do all of those things. With Him.Let God write your "to do" list. Hold it all loosely because it's His. Then rest.

The mind of man plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps. Proverbs 16:9