We all make plans, no matter what our race or where we live, we all plan our days, don’t we? Most of the time our “plan” is centered around what WE want to do.  Maybe it’s as simple as finding something to eat, or shelter;  a place to call home.  We all have our hopes, our dreams, but sometimes the best laid plans don’t work.  Then what?

If you ask a dozen different people, you’ll get a dozen different answers what people want out of life. It depends where you are in the world somewhat.  If you’re in a prosperous part of the world, people are planning what they want to do for fun or entertainment.  If you’re in a poor area, maybe the agenda is merely survival.  For those living in an oppressive country, freedom to do what you want is real high on the list.  But no matter who you are and where you are, God has a plan for your life, a GOOD plan.  It is written in Jeremiah 29:11, For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

It’s everyone’s nature to try to succeed, we are just wired that way by our Creator.  You see, God didn’t create us for failure, because He doesn’t make junk.  But that doesn’t mean OUR plans will always bring us where we want to be.  In fact, with the devil loose in the world, odds are whatever we hope to accomplish will only be done with great effort on our part with a high chance of failure.  Now, does that sound like God’s plan?  No, but without God, even our highest and most noble plans are pretty likely to fail.

There have been plenty of times in my life that even though I planned carefully and followed the plan, things just didn’t turn out the way I had hoped.  That means I needed another plan; a plan that works, that brings forth the desired result.  But if my best laid out plan didn’t work, how could I hope to come up with a better plan?  That’s where God comes in.  You know, He has an idea or two up His sleeve, that even the most determined devil cannot mess up.  And did you also know, God delights in letting you in on His plans, because He delights in watching His kids come out on top.

I will keep this very short and to the point:  God has a better plan for you that you do.  I said, God has a better plan for you than you do. Maybe today you’re at your wit’s end, with your plate piled high with problems, seconds, even. You’ve planned, you’ve worked your plan faithfully, yet, somehow things are not working out for you too well.  It’s time to abandon your plan.  You know, if you’re on a ship that’s sinking, you can either stay on it and go down with the ship, or you can abandon ship.  If you’re smart, you’ll get off when you find your ship isn’t taking you where you want to go.  But too many times, we tend to keep changing the plan to fit the circumstances, hoping that the constant course corrections will end you up where you want to go.  Let me help you here: your plan isn’t working, is it?

There’s an old saying, “If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep getting what you’ve always got.” Is that what you really want: more failure, more disappointment?  Like I said, it’s time to abandon your plan.  God has a better one, and His plan ALWAYS works.  We ALL keep trying to work our plan, and many times we go for years and years faithfully working our failed plan, and all it will ever lead to is more failure.  But it’s hard to change, isn’t it?

Or is it?  If you really knew how much God loves you, then you’d be able to turn loose of your plan so God can get you going on HIS plan. You can’t take what God is offering you from His hand until you set down what you have in YOUR hand.  Maybe God is trying to do a major, life-changing blessing in your life, but you’re afraid to turn loose of the life you actually hate, but are afraid to change.  It’s somewhat like an abused wife, she hates being abused and beat up, but she’s afraid to leave and give up what she’s familiar with.  But when she finally has had enough, she leaves, then wonders why she waited so long.  So it is with all those who have given up on THEIR life plan, so they could embrace God’s life plan for them.

I know you know there must be a better life.  You’re right, there IS a better life for you, only you will never live it until you “let go and let God”.  I saw a video on the internet of a father who trained his little baby girl to stand on the edge of a table and when Daddy says, “fall back, and I will catch you”, she just lets herself fall backwards off the table, knowing Daddy is not going to fail to catch her.  What if Daddy didn’t catch her?  That is never on her mind, because her Daddy loves her so.  She just stands there laughing and says, “Catch me Daddy!” And he always catches her.

Your heavenly Father is not asking you to stand on the edge of a table and fall backwards.  But He IS asking you to trust Him to bring you into a life that is better than you ever hoped for; a life of peace and joy.  He created that life for you long before you were ever born, He has every single detail laid out perfectly, and I’m telling you, YOU’RE GONNA LOVE IT!!

Pray this prayer with me:  Father God in heaven, You are holy and most worthy to be praised.  Thank You that You have a GOOD plan for my life, a much better plan that I could ever come up with on my own.  I tried my plan, LORD, and it isn’t working.  Therefore, today, right now, I surrender my plan forever.  I want YOUR plan for my life.  Help me to not be afraid when things seem out of my control, for I know YOU are not going to let me fall. Give me YOUR peace to still my fears. Give me Your Holy Spirit to lead and guide me every minute of every day, that I may arrive at the blessed place You have prepared for me. You have promised to never leave or forsake me, so LORD, here I am.   Let’s get started right now.  I ask these things in the name of Christ Jesus of Nazareth, giving You thanks.  Amen.