When Things Don’t Go As Planned
“In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path.” -Proverbs 3:6
Often when we find ourselves struggling in the area of vision, we find it hard to believe that God could do the extraordinary with our lives. We think things will turn out a certain way, and it turns out, they don’t. Was it our fault? What happened?
God has a vision for our lives, and so do we. Often, it takes the messing up of our own vision in order for us to truly see what God had in mind. Sometimes He won’t tell us. Sometimes He will. But in the end it is all for the structuring of our character, and for the shaping of our faith. It is also for the structuring and shaping of others.
The story of Job is recorded in the Bible. Job found himself in excruciating circumstances. His story goes something like this:
One day the angels presented themselves to the Lord and Satan came with them. God asked Satan where he had come from. Satan said, “From roaming through the earth.”
God said, “Have you seen my servant Job? He is a man of faith and character.”
Satan replied, “Well yeah duh, you have placed a hedge around him and everything he has, and have blessed him with abundance. But take it all away and he will curse you to your face!”
“Alright, do what you will. But on the man do not lay a finger.” (Job 1:6-19)
Job lost everything he had: his livestock, his servants, and his seven sons and three daughters. Now, I am sure that was not in Job’s plan! But after God had found Job’s heart to be pure, he gained back everything he had lost, times two!
When things don’t go as planned we can think, “God, why have you left me? Why have you let these circumstances come my way? I’m trying to do your will here!” But he is always testing our hearts. “The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart.” (Proverbs 17:3)
If it doesn’t work out, get up and try again. God wants to see our success. But sometimes when things don’t work out as planned He wants a different result – the purity of our hearts. That is what is most important to Him.
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