God Has The Final Say

Proverbs 19:21 (NLT)
21 You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.
Proverbs 21:1 (NLT)
21 The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord;
  he guides it wherever he pleases.
Proverbs 16:9 (NKJV)
9 A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.

Once again God has reminded me that I am not running anything.  This summer has been so full of twist and turns and ups and downs, that it has been absolutely unbelievable.

Many of the things that my husband and that I had planned, fell apart or had to be canceled for one reason or the other.

I had purchased a ticket to attend a convention that I have attended for the past 24 years, and I had to cancel at the last minute due to some health issues that I have been dealing with. I had looked so forward to this event all year because it was the 55th Anniversary Celebration of the company that I work for.   Another reason I wanted to attend, was that I was supposed to receive several awards this year, that I had worked really hard for. Because this 55th Anniversary Celebration would be one to remember for a lifetime, I had planned to be there with bells on for sure, but that was just not going to happen.
There were also other things that I had planned for this summer, that just did not work out the way that I had hoped. So what I have been reminded of during these series of cancellations and postponements, is that I run nothing, and God is absolutely in control of everything. He is the Boss.  Whatever I have planned and got to do in the past, was because God allowed my plans to succeed and not because my planning was so great, or that I was so deserving.  It was God’s wonderful permission and grace that allowed my plans to succeed.

There are times when God wants us just to get still and listen for His voice.  During those times, He may just help you hit the brakes and slowly exit the busyness of life to hear Him.  He may choose to work in your life, through illness, cancellations, postponements or even through tragedy. Just know that whatever method He chooses to work through, it will ultimately be what is best for you.

This last year and a half have been a season in which God has wanted me to get still and listen for His voice. Many of the things that I had planned did not happen, due to health issues. Through it all, I have had to rely on His strength and His faithfulness to get me through.  I have also had to seek His face daily to hear from Him and receive directions, clarity, and strength.  He has revealed to me once again that His love is boundless and that His mercies truly are new every morning.

Sometimes God is desiring to take us in a new direction, but we won’t know it unless we get still and listen for His voice.

Today if you are frustrated because things are not going as you have planned, be encouraged that they may not be going as you have planned, but they are certainly going as God has planned.  When we know that we are within His holy and perfect will for our lives, the No’s are not so devastating, because we know that it will all work out for our good. We simply must trust Him, because the NO’s may also be for our protection.

God has been so faithful to me over the past years, and I know that He always has my best interest at hand. I may not always enjoy hearing the No’s but I know that if He says No, its what is best.  I am committed to serving Him whether He answers Yes or He answers No. My prayer is that you will also commit to doing the same.

Daniel 2:21 (NLT)
He controls the course of world events;
    he removes kings and sets up other kings.
He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the scholars

 

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2 Comments

  1. Ann Carrell

    Thanks for your ministry. You’re doing a great job of using life’s experiences to minister to us.

    I’m sorry you’re dealing with health issues. I hope and pray things are much better soon.

  2. This reminds me of the summer of 2011 when my mom died – everything I had planned changed. I began to have a whole new perspective on things. Then the next summer, my husband was very ill – missed 3 months of work! Again, I began to look at things differently.
    Instead of God saying no, what if He is saying He has something better for us. I then learned the summer of 2016 while taking care of my mother-in-law to ask God what the lessons, blessings and gifts He had for me. The first time I asked him what lessons He had for me (or someone else) in the situation of taking care of her; I totally changed my thinking and began to see amazing blessings and gifts. WOW – it brought such peace in my life.
    Thanks for sharing Marico

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