Acts 1:7 – “He told them, ‘You don’t get to know the time. Timing is the Father’s Business.'” I see myself as a fairly organized and structured personality, but I live with one of those wonderful people who is WAAAAAAYY more scheduled and driven. Sometimes in my life (and his) we see most of the interruptions to our schedules and plans as an irritation or an inconvenience. Sometimes all it takes is one little phone call, visit, computer glitch or spill to throw us completely and utterly off our courses and block our goals for the day, week, month or year.
Proverbs 16:9 says that it is the Lord who is directing our steps. Could it be that God is in charge of these interruptions and inconveniences, however minor or major they may be? Philippians 2:13 asks us to remember that it is God who is working in us both to will and to do His good pleasure. Isn’t He in control?
What seems like a major veer off of our self determined course may indeed be in His perfect plan. Romans 11:33 compares God’s ways with the depth of the riches of wisdom and knowledge of God! His judgments are unsearchable and His ways past finding out! His ways are higher than our ways – even sometimes beyond our ability to understand, yet I seem to always “know” the plan of action I am determined to take and if it gets messed up, well . . . that is just WRONG!
Many of our favorite Bible characters had their own life plans severely interrupted in the process of being used of God for greater things. Joseph went from favored son to foreign slave. Moses went from wealthy prince to murderer and lowly shepherd. David went from trusted shield-bearer to number one enemy. Esther went from humble Jewish beauty to ambassador for her whole nation. Daniel went from being a trusted advisor to a prisoner on death row, and Mary, the Mother of Jesus, went from sweet and honored bride-to-be to the topic of scandalous gossip. God worked things out in His way and in His time for these men and women of God. Won’t he do that for me?
When things suddenly seem to go awry, according to my plans, I should fight the temptation to become discouraged or frustrated. I want to have the courage to pray for the spiritual awareness to see these interruptions as just a part of God’s sovereign plan for my day and my life. Challenge to myself – remember this unique perspective on kinks in my schedule and plans – pray that I can practice changing my attitude about such frustrations. Type A’s? Try it – you might like it.
Jan Clay
Indiana
Pray Together: Pray today for each home represented in your WAC group.
