I’ve heard it said that when we make plans God laughs. I never used to like this saying because I really enjoy making plans and don’t like to think of God laughing at them. I mean I generally think my plans are pretty good, a personal opinion, yes, but still an opinion nonetheless. Well the other day was another day of gaining a deeper understanding that He is the ultimate ‘Plan-maker’ and I definitely am not.
Yesterday I was going about my day and making lunch when I decided that a glass of sweet tea would perfectly compliment my meal. I reached in the fridge for the glass pitcher full of sweet tea. When I lifted the handle the top half of the pitcher broke off in my hand. The glass broke in two perfect pieces, one in my hand and the other still sitting in the refrigerator. The full pitcher of sweet tea found its way over, on, and under everything in the fridge, all over the floor, and all over my feet.
It was a tragic, sticky mess and I did not plan for it to happen…at all!! I spent the next 2 hours cleaning everything out of the refrigerator, soaking up all of the tea and deep cleaning the fridge and floor to try to reverse the effects of the sugary stream that had just wrecked my afternoon.
During those hours of frustrated cleaning I realized something:
The Lord comes into our lives however and whenever He pleases and in doing so often interrupts our plans.
Most of my to-do lists are full of things that I need to get done, tasks that are somewhat self-centered. However, when God interrupts my days with people, thoughts, or actions that I don’t plan for my reaction should be gratitude, not annoyance. God interrupts the lives of His friends, His children and that is not to be taken for granted. He has a plan and a purpose for everything He does so when my plans are interrupted by the Lord who am I to question and be annoyed with the Creator of the Universe?
I leave for the World Race in just 10 days and I know that the next 11 months will be full of interruptions and changed plans time and time again. I know that I may not always be grateful for those moments because they may not be fun interruptions (i.e. cleaning sweet tea for 2 hours) but they will be necessary. Necessary to strengthen my faith and trust in the Lord and necessary for growth and for that I am so grateful.
So thanks, Jesus, for this realization for this interruption and for sweet tea.
