With the busyness of Christmas behind us, we probably all feel a sense of calm and hopefully refreshment for a new year approaching. It’s also a time where we most likely reflect on the year we just had and all the ups and downs. Things we’d love to do all over again and some things we hope to never revisit again.
Every year, around this time, I start thinking ahead to the next 12 months. A new year to have different experiences, meet new people, see new places/things, dream big and hope for joy and happiness. It’s a time to start making new plans and resolutions to kick off our new year on the right track.
But, as we all know, our plans will in some way or another fall short and not all get checked off our lists. It won’t take long for us to realize the plans that prevail, aren’t our plans at all.
Goals, Goals, Goals
We all have goals (well, hopefully). Goals to get more fit and in shape. Goals to be more prompt and manage time better (definitely me!). Goals to have better relationships. Goals to achieve a better job, and so on and so on.
You get it. We have goals. It’s okay, in fact it’s good, to think ahead and have ideas of what we want to accomplish. It keeps us motivated and working towards something.
The problem is that we cling so tightly to OUR goals, that we leave very little room for the goals GOD has planned for us. God has great things in store for each one of us. Things that we don’t see sometimes until they’re right before us. Things we never could’ve planned or set up for ourselves. It’s great to make goals for ourselves, but not become so stuck to them that we forget to allow God to work through us.
Our number one goal should always remain the same: let God take the lead in our lives. Before we start planning and preparing for anything else, we need to focus our hearts and minds on our Father and put our trust in Him. When we set ourselves up to be molded and moved by the Lord, we can then set appropriate goals that are pleasing and aligned with His.
“Many plans are in a person’s heart, but the Lord’s decree will prevail.” -Proverbs 19:21 CSB
Personal Plans
As I was going through the motions this Christmas season (and yes, stressing a little about what all needed to be done), I started thinking ahead of the fast approaching new year. I started thinking about what goals I wanted to set for myself, what all I wanted to accomplish, changes I wanted to make, dreams I wanted to go after, etc. Almost as quickly as I started running through my mental checklists and notes, God’s Holy Spirit gently reminded me who was really in control.
“This God, our God forever and ever – he will always lead me.” -Psalm 48:14 CSB
A light bulb suddenly went off and I realized that making plans and lists will never really do more than keep us motivated and hoping. The real hope comes from knowing we have a Father who plans our path for us. He sets us exactly where we need to be and guides us through any and all obstacles we come across.
That doesn’t mean our path will be easy, in fact, it’s guaranteed not to be. Thankfully though, God’s strength and comforting hand will be there all along the way.
The Best Plan
It’s okay to make plans (All my planner using sisters, I know how beautiful and comforting it is to fill those babies in.) and keep track of things we want/need to do, but let’s make sure there’s space blocked out for God to work. We can fill in every little date box on our calendars and write as many to-do’s as we want on our daily checklists, but keep in mind that what we plan doesn’t always match up to His plans for us.
We just have to make sure to set aside a time each day (write it in your planner if you need to) to listen and hear what God is speaking into us. That will always be the best plan we can make for ourselves.
Don’t Miss Out
Sometimes we ignore God’s promptings and go right past what He’s calling us to. Let’s face it, we’re all a little stubborn and like things to go our way. But, the truth is, we truly miss out on something beautiful every time we skip out on His plans.
We might think our plans are better or more suitable, but they really aren’t. God knows what’s best for us, even when it’s something tough we have to face. Usually the trials are the very things that make us stronger and more reliant on God.
The plans we make for ourselves are often good and even God-honoring, but that doesn’t mean they’re the best for us. Only our Father knows what’s truly best for us and what will help us grow the most.
His Way is the Best Way
Whether we have good or bad situations along the way, we are faced with many opportunities to draw nearer to God. We can come to Him with thanksgiving and praise for the blessings, and we can also reach out to Him for strength and endurance to get through the rough patches. Our trials often, if not always, lend themselves to blessings in the end.
It’s not easy to put our full trust in God…I’ll be the first to admit that. Saying we trust in Him is the easy part. Actually handing over our lives and allowing Him the room He needs to work, is a whole different story. It’s not something any of us can perfect or do ALL the time, but we can definitely work harder each day to get better at it.
The first step is for us to talk with God and ask Him to move and show up regularly in our lives. All He will ask us to do in return, is allow Him to set His plans for us into place. The plans that will prevail and bring us one step closer to Him.
“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 NIV
Friends, thanks for stopping by and reading this post! I pray that you all have a wonderful start to 2018 and allow some space in your lives for God to work. May His plans prevail!
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below and feel free to share if you enjoyed this one! 🙂