Things Don’t Work Out the Way We Think They Should

Our lives our series of plans and expectations that often do not go the way we think they should. We are taught to set goals, make plans, and believe that we should be in control of our own lives. Despite those practices we have been taught, despite our best effort, life surprises us and we tend to end up on unexpected paths we did not plan for. These unexpected paths can be disappointing at times and challenging to understand but we often gain some greater purpose or lesson in the end that helps us with the next aspect of our lives. Instead of clinging to our own understanding, what if we learn to let go and trust in the plan God has for us? There are greater purposes and lessons behind all these plot twists, right?

We all typically have some kind of plan, something we want to happen in our lives. I mean we are taught to set goals, right? So we sit here make plans and goals and plans for the goals and it gets - well it gets redundant, complicated, and rarely goes as we have planned and the way we wanted it to. So what is the purpose of making plans if they never go as we had hoped or thought they should? We listened and made the plans and goals as instructed, so why are we not as fruitful in the plans we made as we expected? Why not just let it go and give it to God, stop worrying and just let it happen. If you are anything like me, that can seem nearly impossible. I love plans and thinking that I know better, thinking that I know how things should go in my life because it is my life right? Wrong. We are created for something bigger, something beyond what we can comprehend and although we’re not meant to live forever in these earthly/ fleshly bodies, our souls and our spirits are supposed to be eternal, hence why it seems all too common that we feel “out of place” here no matter how much we try to make it comfortable. 

I love comfort; I am sure most people do but that is just not how it is meant to be. We are here to serve people, bring them closer to God by planting seeds and surrendering our lives to Him. Seems simple… well, it is far from simple when you have the constant distractions of the world around us and evil whispering in our ears constantly to destroy anything good we have tried to build. It seems pointless but it’s not, this is the time we are granted and blessed with to make the best of it in ways to bring as many people that we can to God. Never give up; God is always correcting the story that we had thought was perfectly planned but frankly wasn’t no matter how much we wanted it to be. He doesn’t make us feel bad, He just corrects us and changes things to fit the ultimate plan he made long ago, He sees it all, the real BIG PICTURE that is beyond what we can comprehend. 

So why is it so hard to let go and let God? It is our flesh in fight with our spirit and it isn’t an easy fight, it is a daily fight that we win and lose multiple times over the course of our lives. Things don’t work out the way we think they should because we do not have the knowledge that God does and He knows better than we do but He gives a part of Him so that we know better. We can choose to trust Him above our own desires and wants. 

I struggle with this on the daily, my mental health is only as good as my surrender to God and His plan. Even though that is a battle for me, I know that I am going to be okay because He already knows how this is going to end and I need to do my best to trust Him, serve Him and His people, and get to know Him through His word. 

Life is choice after choice, plan after plan, but we have a choice to let the ultimate plan take place even if it does not line up with what we think it should. We get greedy, fearful, anxious, etc. and frankly it sets us up for failure. If we let those go and even when things are not going according to plan, trust that there is always a way out, the right way, ultimately things work out exactly as they should, just maybe not the way we thought they should.

Tips: Let go, trust that there is a better plan for you. Things will work out the way they are meant, and often times they are much better than you or I could have imagined. Some practical tips to help in this are:

• Daily prayer and time with God from worshiping by singing. 
• Time with God through gratitude journaling.
• Don’t forget time in fellowship with other followers of Christ. 

Reflect:

• How can you incorporate more faith and trust into your daily life?

Scriptures:

“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.” — Jeremiah 29:11

“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” — Proverbs 16:9

“Do not be anxious about anything, bu tin every situation, by prayer and petitions, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And he peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 4:6–7

“Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” — Matthew 11:28–30

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of sound mind.” — 2 Timothy 1:7

Talk to you next time! Oh and don’t forget to let go and let God!