He’s Got It All Figured Out

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Jeremiah 29:11

Sometimes when my older son Greg comes over on Sunday and Troy isn’t working, we’ll play card games—Tripoley, Texas Hold ‘Em (yes, I know I don’t have a poker face but I’m working on it!), as well as a board game like The Settlers of Catan. If you’re not aware of this game, it’s a strategy game in which players collect resources (sheep, iron, wheat, etc) and use them to build roads, settlements, and cities. I was at a bit of a disadvantage since Troy and Greg had played it prior to the three of us playing it together, and that disadvantage grew the more we played. I believe I ended up winning that game, however, because Greg and Troy played against each other, taking the other out, leaving me winning, and not fully understanding how nor why. A win’s a win, though, so I took it.

You see, I am not strategy minded. I’m not a visionary or a “big picture” kind of person. Sure, I can take a vision and map out how to execute to said vision, but coming up with the vision itself? Not my forte. I’ve never played chess or dabbled in office politics, as I lack the ability to anticipate the moves people will make—I’d always be like three to four steps behind.

Fortunately for me and those like me, when it comes to understanding what the future holds and how we each fit into it, we are in such a blissful state because we don’t have to figure it out--the Lord has it all laid out already. He has a plan; He already knows the part we will play in it, and the degree to which we will play. In fact, He doesn’t even need to “figure it out”; He simply knows how it will all play out.

How cool and liberating is that? When we are faced with surprising and upending news, and the few options our brains can generate leave us shaken, we can rest in the assurance that He has a plan. When we feel like life throws us the proverbial curve ball and the path that we knew in our heart of hearts the Lord brought us to closes and another path arrives, we can be confident that despite seeming like a really bad thing, the change in direction can be just what the Lord wanted to happen, and that He is moving us on to different things—things that perhaps we would have never thought of.

Y’all, the Lord is in our yesterdays and in our tomorrows. He will never forsake us. Proverbs 3:5 tells us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” Our inability to see the next three to four chess moves doesn’t negate our responsibility to be obedient to His leading. No, we trust in Him, praying for peace, discernment, and obedience to His will. Easier said than done, I admit, but necessary for our spiritual growth and discipline.

Prayer Requests

·      For the friends and family of Billie Dees, beloved church member who passed away last week

·      For the tragedy happening in Australia with the fires and loss of life

·      For those struggling with self-worth, depression, addictions

·      For His will to be done in our church

My dear friend, I’m not trying to trivialize your anxiety or worry. I’m merely reminding you that the creator of the earth, moon, heavens, and you has a plan for you. He hasn’t brought you this far to simply abandon you—I promise. He loves you overwhelmingly.

Quotes

“You were deliberately planned, specifically gifted, and lovingly positioned on this earth by the Master Craftsman.”    - Max Lucado                                    

“If your Christianity depends upon a pastor’s preaching, then you’re a long way from being where you should be.”   -- A. W. Tozer