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“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” – Jeremiah 29:11
This is a verse that most people know. It’s often thrown around like candy to any who will listen. But do we truly believe what it says? Do we actually trust the Lord and His plan?
I know I have struggled with this. It hasn’t been an easy road and for many years I have completely ignored any and all of what the Lord had for me. It has literally taken me being in the middle of Ethiopia after 9 months of traveling the world to actually sit with this verse.
In Psalm 37: 4 it says, “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” That is so so true. He does. He loves being able to give us the stuff we desire here on earth. But that is not His goal. Yes, He does enjoy giving us the desires of our hearts, but only when they go with His plan for us. Which is a hard reality, but I do believe it is the Truth.
I have always had the desire to travel. And the Lord gave me this amazing opportunity to travel around the world for a year. Has it been everything I ever thought it would be? Yes and No. The Race has been one of the hardest things I have done, and I’m still not done yet. But it has also been one of the most fulfilling experiences ever.
Do we truly believe that not only will He give us the desires of our heart, but also that He does have a plan for us? I want nothing more than to be home. I miss my family more than anything. I had a wonderful time working with them in Romania for a few days last month, and it made me want to be home more than ever.
But does the Lord have a plan for me here? Yes. Do I know what that is? Not really.
The Lord is in control of my life. Whether I can see it or not, there IS a plan. He has plans for each season in my life. And I have to trust that. I have to trust that being on the field is exactly where He wants me right now. Sometimes that is the easiest thing to trust, but at times it’s not. A lot of times life doesn’t look exactly like we thought it would, yet we still have to trust His heart for us.
I know it has been a while since I have written a blog. But I want this to be a challenge. A challenge for you to see if you are really trusting in the Lord’s plan. Whatever it may look like, or however long it may take to come to fruition. The Lord’s plan is ALWAYS the best plan. And that is just one of the things I have learned today, in this season.
Learning to rest, to trust His Ways in every season and in every circumstance is a life-changing experience that can be learned anywhere in the world. It doesn’t have to be in Ethiopia or Bulgaria, it can be in a familiar job and hometown. The Truth is, though, that it is crucial that we all learn it. Learn to rest and trust. I am grateful beyond words for His Kindness in teaching me these things while out traveling as I have. But I am more ready now, than ever before, to simply be content with Him and seek His face WHEREVER I may be, trusting His plans for me, knowing they provide Hope and a future, far greater than I can imagine now.
