Encouragement for Today

September 13, 2024 God’s Unchanging Plans KAREN WINGATE Lee en español

“Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” Proverbs 16:3 (NIV)

My day was perfectly planned, starting with an hour of desk work followed by a haircut. My husband and I would meet with our tax preparer at 11 a.m., then enjoy lunch together before I met a colleague to work on a project for the rest of the afternoon. My schedule was as neatly arranged as the entries in my day planner.

Then things got messy.

Our tax appointment took four hours instead of one, making it necessary to cancel the afternoon project. During the appointment, I juggled multiple texts, which yielded three unexpected events for the next day.

I thrive on the reliability of routine. But some days I feel like I’m in a constant state of flux as my plans intersect with life situations over which I have no control. My neatly organized planner becomes messy with crossed-out items and new plans squeezed into the margins.

My daughter says her branch of the military has a term for that — “flexicute,” meaning to execute with flexibility. But flexicuting gets wearisome, and I’m tempted to shout at the world, “Can we please do things according to my outline for the next hour? Did I say ‘please’?”

I’m grateful for Hebrews 13:8, which reminds us “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (NIV). When everything and everyone else (OK, me, too) is in flex mode, God never changes. His character remains the same. He won’t pay lip service to promises and then alter them.

Still, I may not know the details of His plan; it’s my role to discover what unfolds and trust Him for what remains concealed. But the sun will come up tomorrow, plants will grow, and the mountains will still stand. He will provide for my needs, and He has unfailing love for me, even when my mood and mind change in reaction to my messed-up plans.

Perhaps that’s the message of my blotchy day planner. Each time I deal with the unreliability of my schedule, I can look toward heaven and thank God for His dependability in weaving in and working out the plans of my heart, all for His glory and my best interest.

Because He is so trustworthy, I can find confidence to do what Proverbs 16:3 instructs: “Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” Whenever my plans go off course, I can lean back and trust that God and I simply made a right turn so we could head in the new direction He intends for us to go.

Has your day just started and your schedule already altered from what you anticipated? Breathe deeply and surrender your activities and intentions to the Lord. Let Him direct your steps toward what He has planned for you today.

Lord, right now, I relinquish the hours of my day to You. I’ll make my plans, but I’ll hold them loosely, looking to You to direct me and change course as You think best. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

OUR FAVORITE THINGS

What if God has more in store for you than you’ve given Him credit for? Unmet milestones and unfulfilled dreams can make you feel like you’ve already missed out on the life you were “supposed” to have … But what if it's possible to build a life you love without having everything you want? Listen to a recent podcast episode — “You Are Not Behind” with Meghan Ryan Asbury — on this topic right here!

Viewing our daily schedules from God’s perspective challenges us to take a fresh look at how we usually see things. Let Karen Wingate’s book, With Fresh Eyes: 60 Insights into the Miraculously Ordinary from a Woman Born Blind, guide you in seeing life in fresh ways. Order your copy here.

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FOR DEEPER STUDY

Matthew 5:1-2, “Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them” (NIV).

Crowds often seemed to interrupt Jesus’ workflow during His years of ministry, but He used those moments in powerful ways. When crowds followed Him seeking physical healing in Matthew 5, He took time to teach them what we call the Sermon on the Mount. Another time, He demonstrated His power by feeding a crowd of 5,000 with one boy-sized lunch (John 6:5-13).

How has God used a shift in your schedule for His greater glory? Tell us about it in the comments.

© 2024 by Karen Wingate. All rights reserved.