Tag: Romans 8:28

Plan A, Plan B

Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

If you are a parent, you know what it is like to make plans for your children only to see them thwarted by choices they make. They have a free-will. You can raise them right, pray for them and direct them down the right path but ultimately it is up to them to walk on the straight and narrow.

That is how it is for God as well.  He is our heavenly father and has plans for us. We have a free will and can easily walk our own path outside of God’s purpose for us if we are not seeking God’s advice and direction in all that we do.

Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  It doesn’t necessarily mean your plans for tomorrow but rather plans for your purpose while you are here on this earth.  We know His plans are good because God is good. That is his character. He does not want bad things to happen to us. But just as you cannot stop bad things from happening to your children, God does not stop bad things from happening to us when we make bad choices.

Even when you make a bad choice, remember, Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Turn back to the Lord after a mistake and ask him for forgiveness and direction. His promise to us is found in Psalm 33:11, “But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.”

So, seek the Lord and ask for his guidance in all that you do so that the Lord’s purpose for your life can prevail.

Heavenly Father, thank you for your loving and forgiving heart. Forgive me when I make mistakes and direct me in your purpose for my life. Amen.

The Great Resignation

Isaiah 43:19 (MSG) “Be alert, be present. I am about to do something brand new. It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it? There it is! I’m making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands.”

Resignation.  This is the word that we are hearing at an unprecedented rate in 2022.  Employees that you never expected to change jobs are resigning from the company they have worked at for years and going to find something new. This reminded me of Isaiah 43:19, “I am about to do something brand new”. Brand new things are happening, not just for the employees that are leaving but for the new employees that are taking their places. For the companies that are experiencing the turnover and for the companies that are hiring new people.

I love this quote:  

“Not all storms come to disrupt your life, some come to clear your path.” ~ Author Unknown

Personally, our company has lost about 10% of our colleagues in the first quarter of 2022 to resignation and it feels like we are in the middle of a storm. But are we? Perhaps God is moving things out of our path to make way for something brand new. To me, the idea that a storm will clear away things that we never would have moved on our own has God written all over it. I would never have wished for these people to leave our company, but God has a plan, and that plan is good. Good for them and good for us.

So maybe, just maybe, the storm you are in right now was not sent to block your path. Maybe it was sent to clear out the unnecessary things that are lying in your path, the driftwood and rubble that has started to pile up and over time and has become an obstacle. Romans 8:28 says that “All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.” Yes, even a storm can be used for good. Because maybe, just maybe, God is doing something new and that is exciting.

Lord, thank you for sending the storms. Your ways are not my ways, but your ways are better. So, I trust you, Lord, to clear my path and to lead me to something brand new. Amen

Way Maker

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

There is a worship song called “Way Maker”.  A few lines of the song say “Even when I don’t see it, he’s working.  Even when I don’t feel it, he’s working.  He never stops, he never stops working.”  This song has been on my heart and I knew I wanted to write about it, but I wasn’t sure exactly how.  Then God gave me this Bible verse and it all came together. Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

God has a plan and His plan is that everyone comes to know Christ Jesus.  So, you and I, as Christians, go about our everyday life but behind the scenes, the Holy Spirit is working on people.  He is working, even when you don’t see it.  He is working, even when you don’t feel it.  He is working on your neighbor.  The neighbor that doesn’t mow his lawn and leaves his trash cans out too long.  He is working on the funny co-worker that sits across the office from you.  He is working on the total stranger that rides the same train to work as you do.  He is working on your son.  He never stops working and you are part of his plan.  He is going to use you, because you have been called according to his purpose.

If you are a Christian, the Bible says that ALL THINGS that have happened to you will be used by God for good.  Not just isolated incidents, ALL THINGS.  But that doesn’t mean that everything that happens to you will be good.  The pain of loss, the sorrow of depression and the sting of rejection can be used for good too.  Because you have experienced those things yourself, you can recognize them in the friends, family, co-workers and strangers you encounter every day. 

Then comes the cool part, the Holy Spirit will do what he does best and put that person in your path.  All you have to do is be aware of the people around you.  Look up.  Smile.  Say hello.  Have a conversation and let the love of Jesus shine out of you.  You may be the only Jesus that person sees today.  Then when the time is right and that person is ready, invite them to your church.  Most people that have never been to a church say they have never been invited to church.  So, let’s get that obstacle out of the way.  Invite them.  Then let the Holy Spirit do the rest.

Lord, thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to help me with your plan.  Please open my eyes to what the Holy Spirit is doing in the people that are all around me every day so that I can be the physical hands and feet of Jesus on earth.  Amen

Do Not Take Your Eyes Off God

Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Have you ever noticed when your life starts to go really well something unexpected happens and throws you off course? I mean you’re going along just fine. Your kids are happy, you love your job, your money situation is good (not great but good) and then BOOM! Adversity strikes. Your son gets bullied at school and doesn’t want to go back. Your daughter tries out for a club, doesn’t get accepted and is in tears. Your boss leaves the company to take another job and your new boss is a jerk. Then your car breaks down and the extra money you had in your pocket is gone.

Suddenly life is difficult. Your stomach is in knots, and you aren’t sure how to handle the changes. What is the best thing to you say to your children? How do you handle your new boss? Should you still take the family vacation you’ve been planning now that you don’t have the extra money?

It is so easy to blame God for the bad things that happen in our life. To question him and ask, even demand an explanation. Why me? Why now? Everything was going so well. Why would you do this to me? But I would like to challenge you to look at it a different way. The enemy is the one that comes to steal, kill, and destroy. Not God. Philippians 4:19 says, “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” So instead of blaming God, lean into God. Have faith that God will be with you to bring you through this season of adversity.

The enemy doesn’t really want your peace of mind or your job or your money. He hits that to see if your faith is in that.  Because that is what he really wants. The enemy wants your faith. Your commitment to God. And if he can crush your faith, he wins. If he can get you to turn your back on God, he wins. Don’t do it. Do not take your eyes off God. Do not turn away from the only one that always has your back. Tell the enemy that your God is a mighty God and that your faith will not waiver.

You may never get that explanation that you were demanding regarding why these things happen to you. But you can be confident that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him who have been called according to his purpose.”  (Romans 8:28) So, stay close to God and have faith that he will make sense of it all.

Lord, my life is a series of ups and downs. But you are my constant. I love you and believe in you and have faith that you will be with me during the good times and the bad. Give me wisdom to handle all the challenges in my life. I will not take my eyes off you. Amen.