Not According to Plan [Day 29]
By Jelsy Gundao
“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope”. (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT)
You might be thinking, “Oh no, here we go, another ‘God has a plan’ message.” During these uncertain times, you probably find yourself cancelling major life events, your routine has been completely disrupted, or you find yourself feeling stuck. At this point you are probably thinking, how in the world can God’s plans still be at work? You’re not alone in that feeling, and I find myself asking that same question.
Around this time in 2019, I was ending my last year in college and was getting ready to go off into the “real adult world.” Looking back, my senior year wasn’t all I had hoped it to be. I had created a lot of great memories, but that last year was very challenging and filled with much heartache and needed healing. I had felt like so many things were falling apart. I felt very alone and so uncertain of where my life would go. Adding on to the uncertainty, my job search was going nowhere. I would get a phone call, go in for an interview, leave the interview feeling so accomplished, then get rejected. Week after week for about two and a half months, this is how my job search would go. I became frustrated and scared because nothing was going according to plan. So with all the uncertainty, I felt like I had been launched into the air, and there was no safety net to catch me.
During that time, I found many people saying to me, “Don’t worry, God has a plan,” or “He’s got you.” I knew these comments were well-intended and true. I knew that my loving God had a plan for my life. But, to be perfectly honest, instead of feeling comfort from these comments, I felt anger and more frustration. I found myself becoming angry at God and was constantly asking, “How is this Your plan for my life? None of this is good, and this is not how I envisioned it to be.” Yet Jesus would always respond with the verse Jeremiah 29:11. I didn’t understand what the Lord had been telling me until I read a story about a man who had been through so much tragedy. Time and time again he would always stand up, raise his arms, and say, “God is good.” This is when it hit me. God’s goodness does not cease when our situation is bad; His goodness remains because He is bigger than the bad situation. Just like how His plans encompassed so much more than my situation during my senior year in college.
Jeremiah 29:11 can easily be interpreted as “our own” plans working out, or it can be seen as a Band-Aid or a temporary fix to our current situation. However, Jeremiah 29:11 goes so much deeper than that. In this verse, God is promising us that there is hope amidst the chaos and uncertainty. There is something so much bigger in play. Even though things might not be solved in the way we see fit, God’s plans are still at work, and they are good plans. Our God does acknowledge our situation, and He does not leave us in it alone. Jesus sits with us in our pain and fills us with the peace He is offering. No matter how deep we are in whatever hole we have deemed ourselves to be in, Jesus is saying, “My child, there is more for you than what you are seeing. Come and let’s discover that together.” Here He is offering us an unshakable hope we can cling to.
Have an honest conversation with the Lord about your frustrations. Tell Him the things that anger you about your current situation. Tell Him the things you are hoping for. God wants us to dream with Him. Whether it’s for five minutes or five hours, ask Him all your questions, and trust that the hope He offers will not fail you.
Community also plays a huge role in this process. Press into the community that the Lord has placed in your life. We are not meant to walk through difficult situations alone. Find someone that you trust and who speaks truth into your life, and let them into your situation. Allow them to walk through this unprecedented time with you.
Prayer
Father, I pray that we lean into the truth of Your word. I pray we cling to the hope that You offer, and that we lift our heads to see that there is so much more than what is right in front of us. God, I ask that we can have honest and intentional conversations with You, and that You bring true solid community into our lives—community that can speak substantial truth. Thank You for Your unshakable hope and love. I pray we never forget Your promises of Your wonderful plans for us, no matter how dark our situation may be. In Jesus’ name, amen.
