No Surprises

We can make our plans,
but the Lord determines our steps.

Proverbs 16:9 nlt

Pause

I woke one morning in March 2020 assuming I knew what lay ahead. I was wrong. By day’s end, the pandemic had forced the cancellation of my spring speaking engagements, a visit to my daughter’s home, and our annual missionary staff conference in Poland. Traveling was banned, and Gene and I isolated ourselves in our sailboat. Whoever could have guessed life would take such a turn? I might have panicked had it not been for a phrase that replayed in my head: “This was no surprise to God.”

The unexpected swoops in and changes everything in a heartbeat. Panic can so easily grip us if the control we’ve assumed for our lives is suddenly snatched away. But when the Lord is our shepherd, he takes responsibility for our well-being. Nothing happens to us that he does not allow or ordain. We can rest assured that everything will be okay. The new plans won’t look like what we expected, but that’s alright. The Lord, in his wisdom and goodness, is changing them for our good and his glory.

Ponder

Look at your calendar. Invite the Lord to take charge over it.

Pray

God, teach me to trust you implicitly when my plans change.