When Things Don’t Go According To Plan
I think everyone can tell about a time in their life where things didn’t go according to plan. For me it’s happened more than once. One instance was about a decade ago when I was applying to be a police officer in Hamilton. I’d resigned from my teaching position in order to completely pursue this goal. Everything was going well, and it really felt that this was the direction God was leading me. And then one day in February 2006 I got a call from the force saying thanks, but no thanks — try again next year. I was crushed. I felt for certain this was the path God was leading me down, and then I simply hit a dead end. I didn’t know what to do — I was lost.
It wasn’t until later that year that I saw the next step in God’s plan for me. I’d been appointed as an elder at my church and at my very first meeting the youth pastor announced his resignation. I felt God gently nudge me and say, “Here’s what I want you to do.” Making a long story short, just over a year later I came on staff as the next youth pastor at Hughson St. Baptist Church. It hadn’t been my plan, but it was God’s, and it was perfect.
I was fortunate enough to see this part of God’s plan for my life unfold. Many people don’t get to see, or perhaps understand, how their life fits into God’s overall plan. Sometimes the effect isn’t seen until years later, but in the meantime we are still called to trust God that He knows what is best. It isn’t easy. It takes faith. It takes patience. It takes courage.
The apostle Paul probably didn’t plan to be beaten and thrown into jail, to be shipwrecked, or to be held in prison for as long as he was. But he trusted God that He had a plan, and so Paul was obedient and waited faithfully and patiently, all the time proclaiming Jesus’ name. To get the whole picture read through Philippians 1:12-18 and Acts 21-28 (especially ch. 28, but 21-27 gives the whole backstory).
This Sunday we’ll be looking at how God works through our broken plans bringing His perfect plan of redemption to completion. Our gathering begins at 6pm – hope to see you there.
Pastor Mike
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