Scripture Reading: “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.” Proverbs 19:21 (ESV)
I recently saw a post that said, “Can we all agree that in 2015 not a single person got the answer correct to where do you see yourself five years from now?” So true. Who would’ve imagined we’d be living through a global pandemic with continuous uncertainty about the future. Definitely not me!
I am a planner. I always feel better when plans are set and feel settled when I know what is coming. During this pandemic, planning has been ridiculously hard. There are so many unknowns. There are plans we had set over these past 5 months that were cancelled. Family gatherings. Celebrations. Camps. Trips. My daughter was recently excitedly shopping for her dorm and we were making travel arrangements when her school suddenly announced the dorms would not open - after assigning her a room number and move-in date. Plans upended. My son has been so excited to start high school and play football this fall. But as of now football is cancelled, and he is starting high school virtually. These are just a few examples of how unpredictable life has been during this time of COVID in my family. I’m sure we can all relate and have many examples of plans changing these past 5 months.
When our plans get disrupted, it is easy to feel overcome with worry and burdened with the weight of all these disruptions and unknowns. God never intended for us to carry these burdens alone. He has also shown time and time again that we don’t need to know exactly HOW he is going to carry out His plans, we just need to TRUST that He is at work and that He is GOOD.
In this season of unknowns. I am learning the freedom of leaning into God, and the reality that His plans are always greater than mine. So I can rest in the reality that whatever it is, God’s got it. When wrestling with uncertainty, there are a few steps that can help align our hearts with this reality.
1) Go to the Word. Search for Scripture to meditate on that which speaks to what is on your heart. Write it on a sticky note and put it around your house. You can even set a reminder on your phone with that verse in it, so that you are reading it throughout the day, no matter how busy you may be. This helps me focus on God rather than circumstances.
2) Seek the Lord in prayer.I love the verse, From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. -Psalm 61:2 NKJV. We don’t need to rely on our own strength, our own abilities, or our own plans. When we don’t look to God first, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and consumed with worry or fear, especially in this season. But when we feel this way we can cry out to God for peace, clarity, strength, help, hope, healing, and so much more.
3) As Pastor Gabe has been encouraging us to do, Take One Day at a Time. Don’t get caught up in “what ifs” in the midst of this pandemic. I love this verse from the Passion Translation- Refuse to worry about tomorrow, but deal with each challenge that comes your way, one day at a time. Tomorrow will take care of itself. - Matthew 6:34 We don’t need to worry about the coming months, we can focus on Jesus today, and then tomorrow, we can do the same thing.
4) Focus on Gratitude. When we are thankful for what we have, it is hard to focus on what we don’t have in this season. It always helps me to make a gratitude list when I’m feeling discouraged. Seeing all that God has already blessed us with is a good reminder that He always comes through for us.
5) Rest. When we cast our cares on God, He assures us that we will find rest for our souls. Romans 8:28 reminds us that God is working all things together for our good. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us God’s plans for us are for our wellbeing, to give us hope and a future. We can have peace regardless of the circumstances in the world when we rest in the reality that God is always at work, and His plans are always good. He is FOR US.
“Heavenly Father, we thank you for your love and goodness. We thank you that You are at work in our lives right now, and that Your plans are good. Help us to trust You with all our hearts, and give us peace as we seek You daily. We love you and praise you, in Jesus’ name. Amen.”