Yesterday, I had a speaking engagement, so, as is my custom, I spent time preparing, praying, studying, and reading God's word. I don't believe in just "winging it," or throwing something together haphazardly.
I never take it lightly when given the opportunity to minister, because I know that someone in the audience needs to hear from God. And if I don't prepare myself, I do God and the people He has assigned me to reach, a real disservice.
Well, about ten minutes before it was time to head to the venue, I opened my laptop to print out my notes and guess what? I couldn't find anything I had typed. Initially, I assumed I had simply overlooked the document in my haste. I didn't panic; I just calmly checked through my files, confident that I would find what I had saved.
Well, my being confident, calm, and assured, meant nothing.
I'm still unsure of what happened, but I never did find the mysteriously missing document. Although I tend not to depend too heavily on my notes, at the very least, I like to have a simple outline to help keep me focused on what I need to say. Thankfully, the Holy Ghost, my helper, showed up and brought back to my remembrance the things He had placed on my heart.
In fact, the contextual framework for the message completely shifted and the Lord led me in a totally different direction. By the time it was all said and done, what God gave me to share, was a great blessing to me and everyone else. It was much more profound, thorough, and holistic.
As you can imagine, I thanked Him all the way home. Without Him, things could have turned out quite differently!
I realize that, He just wanted me to depend totally on Him. Furthermore, there were some things God wanted to speak through me that I likely would not have said, had I been in possession of my own outline and "blueprint" to predetermine the direction of the message.
I'm so glad He upset my plans.
God is so strategic, not just in my own life, but in yours as well. Many times, you and I like to have our own plan and strategy for the course things will take in our lives. Although preparation and planning is a good thing, we must never become rigid and inflexible. We have to learn to rest and trust in God's sovereignty during those seasons when He "keeps us guessing." As one of my favorite scriptures says, "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails" (Proverbs 19:21 NIV).
It might seem crazy, but on occasion, we need to say, "Lord, upset my plans." In other words, we're saying, God I surrender my will in exchange for yours. That way, we we won't get so set in our own ways, that we won't choose God's way.
That's why I want to encourage you today; if you have a plan that seems not to be working, or has gotten "wiped out" altogether, rejoice. God has an alternate solution.
If one door closes, God will open a better one. If a roadblock is erected, then God will create a new and improved route. But you must trust that He'll take you where you need to go.
His way is best, but often, our plan must first be derailed, before God's plan, which always supersedes anything we could have imagined, can be activated in our lives. You know, we can be so solution-oriented, until we get too wrapped up in our own methodologies, techniques, and patterns, to hear God clearly.
It is not until God upsets our plans that we'll turn in the direction He intended for us to go in the first place. So remember, when you can't see your way clearly, don't fret, panic, or worry. Things are gonna be alright.
God has a plan.
All you need to do is depend totally on Him. As the word of God says, if we acknowledge Him in all our ways, He'll direct us... even without an outline. I'm a living witness He'll do it!
As always, thanks for reading, and until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!
Dianna Hobbs
www.empoweringeverydaywomen.com
