When Plans Fall Apart

Memorial Day weekend never goes as planned in our house. We map out the perfect barbecue, check the weather forecast three times, and make detailed grocery lists. Then my mother-in-law calls with a family emergency, the grill won't start, and it rains sideways for two hours. Sound familiar?

I used to think good planning meant bulletproof outcomes. If I was thorough enough, organized enough, faithful enough, surely God would rubber-stamp my carefully crafted agenda. But this verse reminds me that planning and controlling are two very different things.

God isn't asking us to stop making plans. Planning shows wisdom and stewardship of the gifts He's given us. But He is asking us to hold those plans loosely, like water cupped in our palms rather than ice gripped in our fists.

Yesterday, my friend Sarah's graduation party got rained out. Instead of sulking, she moved everything to her tiny apartment. Thirty people crammed into her living room, sitting on floors and countertops, laughing harder than they would have in her backyard. Sometimes God's established steps lead us somewhere better than our original destination.

When your plans shift today (and they probably will), try asking 'What are you up to, God?' instead of 'Why is this happening to me?' You might be surprised by the detours that become divine appointments.