Remember that God Has A Great Plan

"Trusting is so much easier if you

will just close your eyes!"

"To be honest, it is the thought of the future that has been the source of much of my turmoil. There are things of the past that have pain and hurt, but most of those wounds are healing quite well. There are situations I face daily that have the potential to create some difficult moments, and yet, the Lord seems to continually guide me through and equip me to handle those obstacles. But looking down the unknown hallway sometimes feels like I am in a scary movie and I just don’t know what is going to happen. Why is it that my mind always wants to revert to the memory of a scary movie where there is something dark and terrible wanting to eat my flesh instead of the idea that God has such a great plan? The end of the hallway is a definite unknown but the character and heart of God for is unchanging and is full of goodness. There is no need to fear!" (Step by Step 6/19/09)

Here is what I do on those days when my eyes become transfixed on the worries of tomorrow instead of God’s faithful promises.

1. Read His Word

It is sad that so few people lean on God’s handbook for this life. People feel comfortable running to so many different sources to try and attain wisdom for tomorrow and find every excuse in the book as to the reason they do not read God’s book. I personally believe that most people don’t run to the Word of God as often as they should is that it requires something of them instead of allowing them to feel sorry for ourselves. You see, scripture does not try to make sense of our problems. Scripture works on our heart and helps us look at our lives differently. It causes us to change, then, because we have changed we look at life’s issues differently.

2. Begin to Worship

This may sound like a strange thing to do and yet it is where I go when life is too heavy for me to carry. I wish that I could compare myself to Paul when he rejoices about his suffering, but I cannot. Usually when life is difficult, I run to the Lord to worship Him. Many times it is with tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat. He then finds a way to calm my heart and helps me to begin to trust in Him and His plan once more.

3. Surrender My Feelings and Fears Through Prayer

Not only does God want to hear from you, but when you take the time to have relationship with your maker you will find personal wholeness. The more time you spend with the Lord, the more you will trust Him and understand His role in your life. To love the Lord means to daily lay down your feelings, your rights, your ambitions, your goals, your everything. The laying down of these things will help you remember who is the Master and who is the child. The most confusing times in my life have come from me forgetting that the Lord is the one in charge and I am not.

4. Speak Out Loud My Fears

It is very important that you find someone to talk to. I have found that I confide in my best friend, my wife. She gets to hear of my sadness, my jealousies, my anger issues, and my disappointments. She gets to hear about my fears. There are times that this is difficult for me to do, but I thank the Lord to have a trusted friend for me to share with. If I try to keep my fears inside, they seem to mix with my imagination and grow into a beast that haunts my present day life. Usually after I speak my fears out loud and shed light on them, they shrink and lose the power to control me.

5. Find Something Positive to Do

This final step is very important. You must not sit around and focus on fears. Take that energy and find something positive to do. No matter what has happened or is happening in your life, we still have a responsibility to show the love of Christ to a broken and hurting world. Get out there and love someone for Jesus. I know it is the last thing you want to do when life is in turmoil. It feels much better to curl up in a fetal position and suck your thumb than to go and help anyone or care about someone else. Scripture commands us to love those around us. It does not say to love those around you only when your life is going perfect and you are happy with all of the circumstances of relationships, finances, and emotions. We love others simply because Christ loved us first.

I hope these practical steps out of my own life help you. The Lord is not waiting to find a reason to smite you. He has a great plan and has already put many of the pieces together to bring His blessings into your life. So close your eyes. Quit looking around and making decisions about God and His strength based upon what you see. Trust God with your life based upon His promises and unchanging love.