You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.
Proverbs 19:21 NLT 

Many summers ago, according to my to-do list, I was failing. 

I had blown so many self-imposed deadlines. Major goals on my list remained unmet. Even small projects around the house were back-burnered. With the kids home, my day was a symphony of constant interruptions, sounding like the clatter of breakfast, the rushing toward music lessons, the whirring of the washing machine. 

In an effort to stay sane, I prayed the same prayer every single morning: “God, help me to make choices today that honor Your plans for my life.” 

I determined to follow God’s agenda rather than trying to convince Him to help me carry out mine. This is no small task for a woman with a rather robust inner control freak. There are times when I secretly hope God will empower me to plow through my to-do list rather than equip me for His. 

But God is totally on to me. The old saying, “If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans,” summed up my summer. Sure, there were moments of terrific productivity. But often, my daily prayer led me miles away from the office. 

As it turns out, that summer was exactly what my agenda-driven heart needed. Which is to say, my soul needed a place to breathe. My soul needed days of cute kittens, impromptu picnics with my girls, kayak rides, and petunias—alongside satisfying days of productivity. 

I can’t simply walk away from my work, of course. But I have surrendered my agenda to the God of The Calendar. I choose to be sustained by the belief that God will help me complete the work He has called me to do . . . in His time. 

Maybe you’ve been like me—caught between your grand plans and your actual life. Maybe you’ve been feeling a little panicky that what you intended to do, simply hasn’t gotten done. Maybe what we all really need right now is to remember that God has this all under control. We get to simply pray, “God, help me to make choices today that honor Your plans for my life.” Amen! 

 

By Jennifer Dukes Lee from the (in)courage devotional journal, 100 Days of Strength in Any Struggle.

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